EVELYN  RAYMOND 


/f  /-S-  - 


« 

L. 


OF  CALIF.  LIBRABY,  LOS  ANGELES 


"ALLOW  ME!     AND  HELPED  MOLLY  UP." 
Dorothy's  Travels. 


Dorothy's  Travels 


BY 

EVELYN   RAYMOND 


Illustrations  by  S.  Schneider 


A.   L.   CHATTERTON   COMPANY 
NEW  YORK,  N.  Y. 


COPYHIGHT  1908 
BY 

CHATTERTON-PECK  CO. 


CONTENTS 

CHAPTER  PAGE 

I.    SAILING  DOWN  THE  HUDSON 9 

II.    A  RACE  AND  ITS  ENDING 24 

III.  ADRIFT  IN  THE  GREAT  CITY 40 

IV.  ON  BOARD  THE  PRINCE 57 

V.  MOONLIGHT  AND  MIST  ON  THE  SEA     ...    73 

VI.    SAFE  ON  SHORE 89 

VII.    FINNAN  HADDIE  IN  A  GARDEN 106 

VIII.  DOROTHY  AND  THE  BASHFUL  BUGLER  .    .    .124 

IX.  AN  OX-OMOBILE  AND  A  SAILBOAT    .     .    .    .142 

X.  WHAT  BEFELL  A  "  DIGBY  CHICKEN  "...  158 

XI.      IN  EVANGELINE  LAND 171 

XII.  SIGHT  SEEING  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES    .     .    .  187 

XIII.  A  MESSAGE  FOR  THE  CAMP 202 

XIV.  How  MOLLY  CAME  TO  CAMP 217 

XV.  MRS.  CALVERT  PLANS  AN  INFAIR    ....  234 

XVI.  WHEN  JOURNEYS  END  IN  WELCOME    .     .     .  249 


2132535 


DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

CHAPTER  I 

SAILING  DOWN  THE  HUDSON 

"  ALL  aboard  —  what's  goin' !  All  ashore  — 
what  ain't ! " 

The  stentorian  shout  of  the  colored  steward,  so 
close  to  Dorothy's  ear,  made  her  jump  aside  with  a 
little  scream.  Then  as  she  saw  that  the  boat  hands 
were  about  to  draw  the  gang  plank  back  to  the 
steamer's  deck,  she  gave  another  little  cry  and 
fairly  pushed  Alfaretta  toward  it. 

"  Never  mind  hugging  me  now,  girlie,  you  must 
go  or  you'll  be  left ! " 

But  the  lassie  from  the  mountain  only  smiled 
and  answered: 

"  I  don't  mind  if  I  am.  Look  a-here !  "  and  with 
that  she  pulled  a  shabby  purse  from  the  front  of  her 
blouse  and  triumphantly  displayed  its  contents. 

"  Oh !    Alfy !     How'll  you  ever  get  back  ?  " 

"  Easy  as  preachin'.     I  — " 

But  Dorothy  had  no  further  time  to  waste  in 
argument.  Here  were  Jim  Barlow  and  Monty 
Stark  shaking  either  hand  and  bidding  a  hasty 
good  by,  while  Molly  Breckenridge  was  fairly 
dancing  up  and  down  in  her  anxiety  lest  the  lads 

9 


io  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

should  also  be  left  on  board,  as  Alfaretta  was  likely 
to  be. 

But  they  were  not.  Another  second  they  had 
bounded  down  the  stairs  from  the  saloon  to  the 
lower  deck,  a  workman  had  obligingly  caught 
Monty  by  his  coat  collar  and  laughingly  flung  him 
over  the  plank  to  the  dock  beyond,  while  Jim's  long 
legs  strode  after  and  made  their  last  leap  across  a 
little  chasm  of  water. 

"  Good  by,  good  by,  good  by !  " 

Handkerchiefs  waved,  kisses  were  tossed  across 
the  widening  water,  the  bell  rang,  the  whistle 
tooted,  and  Dorothy's  travels  had  begun.  Then 
as  the  group  of  schoolmates  watching  this  departure 
from  the  shore  grew  more  indistinct  she  turned 
upon  her  old  mountain  friend  with  the  astonished 
question : 

"  But  Alfaretta !  Whatever  made  you  do  this  ? 
What  will  become  of  you,  alone  in  that  great  city 
of  New  York?" 

"  I  didn't  say  anything  about  Ne'  York,  did  I  ? 
Should  think  you'd  be  glad  to  have  me  go  along 
with  you  a  little  bit  o'  way.  Course,  I  shall  get 
off  the  boat  when  it  stops  to  Cornwall  landing. 
And  I  thought  —  I  thought  —  Seems  if  I  couldn't 
have  you  go  so  far  away,  Dolly.  It's  terrible  lone- 
some up-mounting  now-a-days.  And  I  —  I  don't 
see  why  some  folks  has  everything  and  some  hasn't 
nothin' !  " 

There  was  more  prief  than  grammar  in  this 
speech  and  a  few  tears  sprang  to  the  girl's  eyes. 


SAILING  DOWN  THE  HUDSON  n 

But  Alfy  boasted  that  she  was  not  a  "  crier  "  and 
as  she  heard  the  stewardess  announcing' :  "  Tickets, 
ladies  and  gentlemen,"  she  dashed  the  moisture 
away  and  stared  at  the  woman. 

After  her  usual  custom,  "  Fanny  "  was  collecting 
money  from  the  various  passengers  and  would 
obligingly  procure  their  tickets  for  those  not  al- 
ready provided.  As  she  made  her  way  through  the 
throng,  which  on  that  summer  morning  crowded 
the  upper  deck  of  the  pretty  "  Mary  Powell,"  the 
three  young  friends  watched  her  with  surprised  in- 
terest. 

Apparently  she  took  no  note  of  the  amount  any- 
body gave  her,  carrying  bills  of  all  dimensions  be- 
tween her  fingers  and  piles  of  specie  on  her  broad 
palm. 

"  How  can  she  tell  how  much  she's  taken  from 
anybody?  How  can  she  give  them  their  right 
change  ?  "  wondered  Dorothy. 

"  I  give  it  up !  She  must  be  a  deal  better  at 
arithmetic  than  I  am.  I  should  make  the  mixedest 
mess  of  that  business ; "  answered  Molly,  equally 
curious. 

"  Yet  you  will  see  that  she  makes  no  mistakes. 
I've  been  traveling  up  and  down  the  river  on  this 
same  boat  for  many  years  and  I've  given  her  all 
sorts  of  sums,  at  times,  on  purpose  to  try  her.  But 
her  memory  never  fails,"  said  Miss  Greatorex  who 
was  in  charge  of  the  party.  She  sat  quite  calmly 
with  the  amount  of  three  fares  in  her  hand  but  with 
a  most  forbidding  gaze  at  Alfaretta. 


12  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

Who  that  young  person  was  or  why  she  had 
thrust  herself  into  their  company  she  did  not  under- 
stand. She  had  herself  but  known  of  this  trip  on 
the  day  before,  when  Miss  Penelope  Rhinelander 
had  been  obliged  to  give  it  up,  on  account  of  the  ex- 
treme illness  of  a  near  relative. 

However,  here  she  was  with  her  two  pupils, 
whom  she  taught  at  the  Rhinelander  Academy, 
bound  for  a  summer's  outing  in  —  to  her  and  them 

—  unknown  lands.     Also,   as  there  may  be  some 
who  have  not  hitherto   followed  the   fortunes   of 
Dorothy,  it  may  be  well  to  explain  that  she  was  a 
foundling,  left  upon  the   doorstep  of  a  man  and 
wife,  in  a  quiet  street  in  Baltimore.     That  he  had 
lost  his  health  and  his  position  as  a  letter-carrier 
in  that  city  and  had  removed  to  his  wife's  small 
farm  in  the  Hudson  Highlands.     That  among  their 
friends  there  was  somebody  who  had  taken  an  in- 
terest in  the  orphan  girl  and  had  burdened  himself 

—  or  herself  —  with  the  charge  of  her  education. 
That  she  had  passed  the  last  school  year  at  the 
Academy  and  had  been  in  some  most  exciting  epi- 
sodes detailed  in  "  Dorothy's  Schooling :  "  and  that 
now,  at  the  beginning  of  the  long  vacation,  she  was 
traveling  with  her  closest  school  friend  and  a  teach- 
er, whose  life  she  had  been  the  means  of  saving 
at  the  time  of  the  Academy  fire,  toward  New  York ; 
and  from  thence  to  Nova  Scotia  —  there  to  grow 
strong  for  another  year  of  study. 

Alfaretta  Babcock's  home  was  near  to  her  home 


SAILING  DOWN  THE  HUDSON  13 

upon  the  mountain;  and  though  unlike,  there  was  a 
sincere  affection  between  this  untaught  country  girl 
and  the  dainty  Dorothy,  and  Alfy  had  begged  a 
ride  in  a  neighbor's  wagon  going  to  Newburgh, 
that  she  might  bid  her  friend  good  by  and  watch 
her  set  sail  on  what  seemed  must  be  the  most  won- 
derful of  journeys. 

She  was  to  have  returned  home  as  she  had  come; 
but  when  the  steamer  was  on  the  point  of  leaving  an 
impulse  had  seized  her  to  travel  thus  herself,  if 
only  for  the  brief  distance  between  this  landing  and 
the  one  nearer  her  own  home.  She  had  a  few  cents 
in  her  purse  and  hoped  they  would  be  enough  to 
pay  her  fare;  and  now  when  they  were  already 
moving  down  the  stream  and  her  familiar  mountain- 
top  came  into  view,  she  made  a  wild  dart  toward 
the  stewardess,  shouting: 

"  Ma'am,  please,  ma'am,  take  mine !  I've  got  to 
get  off  the  next  place  and  —  and  —  I  mustn't  be 
left!" 

Fanny  picked  up  the  camp-chair  Alfy  had  stum- 
bled over,  remarked  in  a  soothing  voice,  "  Plenty  of 
time,  little  gal,  oceans  of  time,  oceans  of  time,"  and 
glanced  at  the  money  so  suddenly  thrust  into  her 
already  crowded  palm. 

"  Four  cents,  little  gal  ?  Hardly  enough.  Fif- 
teen is  the  regular  fare.  All  you  got,  sissy?  Look 
and  see." 

The  tone  was  kind  but  the  statement  sounded  like 
a  knell  in  poor  Alfaretta's  ears.  Thousands  of 
times  she  had  watched  the  many  boats  pass  up  and 


I4  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

down  the  river,  but  only  once  had  she  been  upon 
any  and  that  was  a  row-boat.  It  had  been  the 
dream  of  her  life  to  voyage,  as  she  was  doing  now, 
far  and  away  beyond  those  Highlands,  that  seemed 
to  meet  and  clasp  hands  across  the  mighty  stream, 
and  see  the  wonderful  world  that  lay  beyond.  For 
the  boats  always  disappeared  around  that  projecting 
point  of  rock  and  forest,  and  so  she  knew  that  the 
mountains  did  not  meet  but  merely  seemed  so  to 
do.  Well,  of  course,  she  wasn't  to  find  out  about 
them  to-day.  She  knew  that  quite  well,  because 
her  own  landing  was  on  this  side  the  "  Point "  and 
she  could  go  no  further.  Indeed,  could  she  now 
go  even  so  far? 

"Fifteen  cents!  My  heart!  — I  —  I  —  What 
can  I  do?  Will  the  captain  drop  me  —  in  the  — 
river?  Will—" 

The  stewardess  was  very  busy.  People  were 
watching  her  a  little  anxiously  because  of  her  in- 
different handling  of  her  money  and  the  tickets  she 
had  not  hurried  to  bring;  and  the  sudden  terrified 
clutch  at  her  skirts  which  Alfy  gave  set  her  trip- 
ping among  the  crowded  chairs  and  made  her 
answer,  crossly: 

"  For  goodness  sake,  girl,  keep  out  from  under 
foot !  If  you  haven't  the  money  go  to  your  friends 
and  get  it !  " 

"  Friends !  I  haven't  got  any !  "  cried  Alfaretta, 
and  flung  her  skirt  over  her  face  and  herself  down 
upon  the  nearest  seat. 

From  their  own  place  Molly  and  Dolly  watched 


SAILING  DOWN  THE  HUDSON  15 

this  little  by-play  for  a  moment,  then  darted  forward 
themselves  to  see  what  was  the  matter. 

"  Why,  Alfy  dear,  what's  happened  ?  Won't  the 
woman  get  your  ticket  for  you  ?  Nevermind.  I'll 
ask  her.  Maybe  she  will  for  me." 

"  You  needn't,  Dolly  girl !  There  ain't  enough 
and  I'm  afraid  they'll  drop  me  off  into  the  water! 
She  — she— " 

"  Alfy !  How  silly !  Nobody  would  do  such  a 
thing.  It  would  be  murder.  But  you  shouldn't 
have  come  unless  you  had  the  money  and  I'll  go 
ask  Miss  Greatorex  for  some.  She  has  our  purses 
in  her  satchel,  taking  care  of  them  for  us.  Wait 
a  minute.  You  stay  with  her,  Molly,  while  I  go 
get  it.  How  much,  Alfy  ?  " 

The  girl  began  to  count  upon  her  fingers : 

"  Four  —  that's  what  I  have  and  it  was  meant  for 
candy  for  the  children  —  five,  six  —  How  many 
more'n  four  does  it  take  to  make  fifteen  I  wonder? 
I'm  so  scared  I  can't  think.  And  I  wish,  I  —  wish 
—  to  —  goodness  —  knows  I'd  ha'  said  good  by 
back  there  to  the  dock  and  not  let  myself  get  car- 
ried off  down  river  to  nobody  knows  where.  If 
they  dassent  to  drop  me  off  the  boat  they  might 
keep  me  here  till  I  paid  — " 

"  Alfaretta  Babcock !  I  certainly  am  ashamed  of 
you.  That's  a  hard  thing  to  say,  just  at  parting, 
but  it's  the  truth.  The  idea!  First  you  fancy  a 
decent  human  being  will  drown  you  because  you 
haven't  a  little  money,  and  then  you  can't  reckon 
fifteen!  What  would  dear  Mr.  Seth  say,  after 


16  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

teaching  you  so  faithfully?  Never  mind.  Don't 
act  so  foolish  any  more  and  I'll  go  get  the  money." 

This  was  not  so  easy  as  she  fancied.  The  boat 
was  already  nearing  the  next  landing  where  Alfa- 
retta  must  go  ashore,  or  be  carried  on  to  a  much 
greater  distance  from  her  home,  but  it  seemed  diffi- 
cult to  make  Miss  Greatorex  understand  what  was 
wanted  and  why.  The  poor  lady's  deafness  had  in- 
creased since  her  fright  and  exposure  at  the  time  of 
the  fire  and,  now  that  she  had  been  put  into  a  po- 
sition of  greater  trust  than  ever  before,  her  sense  of 
responsibility  weighed  heavily  upon  her.  At  part- 
ing, her  principal,  Miss  Rhinelander,  had  enjoined : 

"  Take  particular  care  of  the  girl's  finances, 
Cousin  Isobel.  It  is  important  that  they  should 
learn  to  be  wise  in  their  small  expenditures  so  that 
they  may  be  equally  prudent  when  they  come  to 
have  the  handling  of  larger  sums  —  if  that  should 
ever  be.  Make  them  give  a  strict  account  of  every- 
thing and  check  any  foolishness  at  the  beginning." 

The  subordinate  promised.  She  was  a  "  poor 
relation "  and  knew  that  she  was  an  unpopular 
teacher  with  many  of  the  pupils  of  the  fine  school, 
though  she  had  modified  her  sternness  altogether  in 
the  case  of  Dorothy  who  had  saved  her  from  the 
fire.  But  the  mandate  of  her  superior  was  fresh  in 
her  mind.  She  had  been  touched  by  the  rarely 
familiar  "  Cousin  Isobel,"  and  determined  to  do  her 
duty  to  the  utmost.  Yet  here  was  Dorothy  already 
screaming  into  her  deafest  ear : 

"  My    purse,   please,    Miss    Greatorex !     I    want 


SAILING  DOWN  THE  HUDSON  17 

some  money  right  away!  Quick,  quick,  please,  or 
it'll  be  too  late !  " 

The  girl's  voice  was  so  highly  pitched  that  peo- 
ple around  began  to  stare  and  some  of  them  to 
smile.  Like  mose  afflicted  persons  the  lady  was 
sensitive  to  the  observation  of  others  and  now  held 
up  her  hand  in  protest  against  the  attention  they 
were  attracting. 

"  Softly,  Dorothy.  Better  write  what  you  wish 
if  you  cannot  speak  more  distinctly ; "  and  a  small 
pad  with  pencil  was  extended. 

But  Dorothy  did  not  take  them.  The  satchel 
upon  Miss  Greatorex's  lap  was  open,  her  own  and 
Molly's  purses  lay  within.  To  snatch  them  both 
up  and  rush  away  was  her  impulsive  act  and  to 
scamper  back  across  the  deck,  wherever  she  could 
find  a  passage,  took  but  a  moment  longer.  But  she 
was  none  too  soon. 

Down  below  the  steward  was  again  crying: 

"  All  aboard  what's  goin' !  All  ashore  what  ain't ! 
All  who  hasn't  got  deir  tickets,  please  step  right 
down  to  de  Cap'n's  office  and  settle." 

While  another  loud  voice  ordered: 

"  Aft  gangway  for  Cornwall !  All  ashore  —  all 
ashore !  Aft  gangway  —  all  ashore !  " 

Some  were  hurrying  down  the  stairs  to  that  "  aft 
gangway,"  others  speeding  up  them  in  equal  haste 
with  that  excitement  which  always  marks  the  in- 
frequent traveler,  and  poor  Alfaretta  caught  the 
same  fever  of  haste.  Without  a  word  of  real  fare- 
well, now  that  she  had  come  thus  far  at  so  much  risk 


i8  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

to  speak  it,  she  dashed  ahead,  slipped  on  the  brass- 
tipped  stair  and  plunged  headlong  into  the  space 
below. 

For  an  instant  there  was  silence  even  in  that  busy 
scene,  people  halting  in  their  ascent  and  porters 
turning  their  skids  aside  with  angry  exclamations, 
lest  the  trunks  they  wheeled  should  fall  upon  her 
as  she  seemed  bent  to  fall  upon  them. 

Yet  only  one  thought  now  possessed  the  terrified 
girl  —  escape!  She  had  bumped  her  head  till  she 
was  dizzy,  but  she  mustn't  stop  for  that.  Yonder 
yawned  that  open  space  in  the  deck-rail  which  they 
called  the  "  aft  gangway  "  and  toward  that  point 
she  propelled  herself  regardless  of  all  that  impeded 
her  way. 

Down  the  plank,  out  upon  the  boards  of  the 
board  dock,  into  the  medley  of  stages  and  yelling 
drivers  she  hurried,  very  much  as  James  Barlow 
and  Montmorency  Stark  had  done  at  that  other, 
upper  landing.  But  when  she  felt  the  solid  quay 
beneath  her  feet  she  paused,  clapped  her  hands  to 
her  dizzy  head  and  —  felt  herself  grasped  in  a  wild 
and  fierce  embrace. 

Then  both  upon  that  dock  and  the  deck  of  the  out- 
going steamer  rang  a  shout  of  merriment,  which 
made  anger  take  the  place  of  fear  as  she  whirled 
about  in  the  arms  of  whoever  held  her  and  shook 
her  fist  at  the  boat  and  its  passengers. 

"  Well !  That  was  a  short  trip  but  it  was  full  of 
incident !  "  remarked  one  passenger,  near  to  Molly 
and  Dorothy.  They  had  run  to  the  rail  to  see  what 


SAILING  DOWN  THE  HUDSON  19 

followed  Alfy's  disappearance,  and  if  she  were 
carried  away  injured.  "  I  saw  her  come  aboard 
and  depart  and  she  managed  to  get  a  deal  of  action 
into  those  few  minutes.  Friend  of  yours,  young 
ladies?" 

They  faced  about,  wondering  why  this  man 
should  speak  to  them.  He  looked  like  a  gentleman 
though  a  rather  shabby  one.  Montmorency  would 
have  termed  him  "  seedy."  His  coat  had  seen  better 
days  and  his  hat,  lying  on  the  bench  beside  him, 
was  worn  and  discolored,  and  his  thin  white  hair 
told  that  he,  also,  was  old.  This  made  the  girls 
regard  him  kindly,  for  both  of  them  had  a  reverence 
for  age. 

More  than  that,  a  crutch  rested  against  his  knee 
and  this  made  an  instant  appeal  to  Dorothy's  sym- 
pathy. She  had  seen  nobody  with  a  crutch  since 
she  had  said  farewell  to  Father  John;  and  now  in 
pity  for  this  other  cripple  she  lingered  near  answer- 
ing his  many  questions  most  politely. 

"  Yes,  she  is  a  friend.  She  —  I  guess  she  ran 
away  to  sail  a  short  distance  with  us.  We  shan't 
see  each  other  again  this  summer.  She  forgot  her 
money.  I  mean  she  didn't  have  any  to  forget;  and 
—  Sir  ?  What  did  you  ask  me  to  find  ?  " 

"  To  buy  a  morning  paper  for  me,  my  dear.  You 
see,  being  lame  —  Did  you  ever  know  anybody  who 
was  lame  ?  "  asked  the  old  man,  with  a  smile. 

"  Ah !  yes.  The  dearest  man  in  all  the  world ; 
my  father." 

Thereupon    Dorothy   huddled    down   beside    the 


20  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

stranger  and  gave  a  history  of  her  father's  illness, 
"his  wonderful  patience,  and  the  last  effort  he  was 
making  to  regain  his  health. 

She  did  not  know  that  it  is  often  unsafe  to  talk 
with  unknown  people  upon  a  journey;  and  in  any 
case  she  would  not  have  feared  such  a  benignant  old 
gentleman  as  this.  She  ended  her  talk  with  the  in- 
quiry : 

"Where  will  I  find  the  paper,  Mr. —  Mr. —  I 
mean,  sir  ?  " 

"  Smith  my  name  is.  John  Smith  of  Smithville. 
You'll  find  all  the  papers  and  books  at  a  news-stand 
on  the  lower  deck.  There's  a  candy-stand  there, 
too,  such  as  will  interest  you  two  more  than  the 
papers,  likely ; "  he  answered  with  another  smile. 

They  started  down  the  stairs  leading  from  the 
main  saloon  to  the  lower  part  of  the  boat,  and  not 
until  they  had  reached  the  news-stand  did  either 
of  them  remember  that  she  hadn't  brought  her  purse 
nor  asked  which  paper  their  new  acquaintance  de- 
sired. 

"  Oh !  dear !  Wasn't  that  silly  of  us !  And  we're 
almost  to  West  Point,  where  my  cousin  Tom's  a 
cadet!  He  promised  to  be  on  the  lookout  for  us, 
if  he  could  get  leave  to  go  to  the  steamboat  land- 
ing. I  wrote  and  told  him  about  our  trip  and  he 
answered  right  away.  He's  Aunt  Lucretia's  only 
child  and  she  adores  him.  Hasn't  spoiled  him 
though.  Papa  took  care  about  that !  If  I  go  back 
after  our  pocket-books  I  may  lose  the  chance  to  see 
him !  So  provoking !  I  wish  now  we  hadn't  both- 


SAILING  DOWN  THE  HUDSON  21 

ered  ourselves  about  that  old  man.  If  he  was  able 
to  come  aboard  the  boat  and  go  up  those  stairs  to 
the  deck  he  was  able  to  buy  his  own  old  papers. 
So  there ! "  cried  Molly,  stamping  her  little  foot  in 
her  vexation. 

West  Point  cadets  are  given  few  permissions  to 
leave  their  Academy  for  social  visits,  so  that  Tom 
had  never  been  to  the  Rhinelander  school  where 
rules  were  also  so  strict  that  Molly  had  been  but 
once  to  see  her  cousin  in  his  own  quarters.  Until 
he  went  to  the  Point  and  she  to  school  in  the  hill- 
city  a  few  miles  further  up  the  river,  they  had  lived 
together  in  her  father's  house  and  were  like  brother 
and  sister.  The  disappointment  now  was  great  to 
the  loving  girl  and  Dorothy  hastened  to  comfort, 
by  saying: 

"  Never  mind,  Molly,  you  stay  right  here.  See ! 
they're  fixing  that  gang-plank  again,  at  this  very 
part  of  the  deck.  You  stand  right  outside,  close 
against  the  rail  but  where  you  won't  be  in  the  men's 
way  and,  if  he's  there,  you'll  surely  see  him. 

"  I'll  go  back  and  get  the  purses.  Where  did  you 
lay  them?" 

"  Hum.  I  don't  know.  I  can't  exactly  think. 
You  handed  me  yours,  I  remember,  when  you  stoop- 
ed to  pick  up  his  crutch  he'd  knocked  down.  Ah! 
Now  I  know.  My  hands  got  so  warm  and  your 
pocket-book  was  red  and  I  thought  it  would  stain 
my  new  gloves.  So  I  just  laid  them  down  on  the 
bench  beside  him.  You'll  find  them  right  there  be- 
side him.  You  can  ask  him  which  paper,  then,  and 


22  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

I  say,  Dolly  Doodles,  what  right  had  that  hinder- 
ing old  thing  to  expect  us  —  us  —  to  buy  his  papers 
for  him?  Why  didn't  he  give  us  the  money,  him- 
self ?  Seems  if  we'd  been  sort  of  —  sort  of  goosies, 
doesn't  it?" 

"  Oh !  Molly !  That's  not  nice  of  you  to  think 
about  that  dear,  lame  old  man !  And  why  he  didn't 
was,  I  suppose,  because  he  didn't  think.  We  don't 
always  think  ourselves,  dearie.  Never  mind.  I'll 
hurry  and  be  right  back." 

"  Yes,  do  —  do  hurry !  I've  said  so  much  about 
you  in  my  letters  I'm  just  suffering  to  have  you  two 
meet.  Just  suffering !  Hark !  They're  whistling 
and  ringing  the  bell  and  we'll  be  there  in  a  minute ! 
Do,  do  hurry  —  for  I  believe  I  see  him  now  —  that 
tall  one  at  the  end  of  the  wharf  —  Hurry  —  or, 
better  still  —  Wait !  Wait !  " 

But  long  before  the  excited  Molly  had  finished 
speaking  Dorothy  had  run  up  the  stairs,  along  the 
long  passage  to  the  aft  deck  where  she  had  left  her 
lame  acquaintance  waiting  for  her  to  do  his  simple 
errand. 

He  was  not  in  the  spot  where  she  had  left  him. 
He  was  not  in  the  big  saloon,  or  parlor.  He  was 
not  upon  the  forward  deck ;  not  yet  amid  the  crowd 
pressed  to  the  deck's  rail,  to  watch  for  whatever 
might  be  seen  at  this  historic  landing  place.  Fly- 
ing to  the  rail  she  scanned  the  few  departing  pas- 
sengers and  he  was  not  among  them.  She  saw, 
but  scarcely  realized  that  she  did,  a  group  of  three 
cadets  who  had  come  as  near  the  steamer  as  the 


SAILING  DOWN  THE  HUDSON  23 

wharf  permitted  and  were  gaily  chattering  with  her 
chum,  during  the  short  stop  that  was  made. 

"  Could  he  have  fallen  overboard  ?  And  if  he  did 
why  did  he  take  our  purses  with  him  ?  "  she  won- 
dered. Then  reflected  that  it  would  be  a  difficult 
thing  to  explain  this  affair  to  Miss  Greatorex ;  and 
also  that  the  missing  pocket-books  contained  a  full 
month's  "  allowance  "  for  both  Molly  and  herself. 


CHAPTER  II 

A  RACE  AND  ITS  ENDING 

DOROTHY'S  search  for  the  missing  old  man  and, 
to  her,  the  more  important  missing  purses  brought 
her  to  the  lower  deck  and  Molly.  The  latter  was 
still  leaning  upon  the  rail,  gazing  a  little  sadly  into 
the  water,  for  the  brief  glimpse  she  had  had  of  her 
cousin  Tom  had  recalled  their  happy  days  in  their 
old  southern  home.  There  were  even  a  few  tears 
in  her  bright  blue  eyes  as  she  raised  them  toward 
her  friend;  but  she  checked  them  at  once,  fright- 
ened by  the  expression  of  Dorothy's  own. 

"Why,  honey,  what's  the  matter?" 

"  Our  pocket-books  are  lost !  " 

"Lost?  Lost!  They  can't  be.  You  mustn't 
say  so.  We  can't,  we  daren't  lose  them.  Weren't 
they  on  that  bench  beside  the  old  man  ?  "  demanded 
Molly. 

"  No,  they  were  not.  They  were  not  anywhere 
—  any  single  where.  He  wasn't  either." 

"  Pooh !  He  must  be.  He  probably  wanted  to 
change  his  seat  and  was  afraid  to  leave  them  lying 
on  the  bench,  lest  somebody  might  be  tempted  to 
pick  them  up.  Somebody  to  whom  they  didn't  be- 
long, I  mean." 

24 


A  RACE  AND  ITS  ENDING  25 

"Molly,  what  shall  we  do?  What  will  Miss 
Greatorex  say  ?  " 

"  Humph.  She'll  probably  scream  out  her  dis- 
gust as  if  we  were  deaf  too  like  herself.  That's 
the  way  she  always  does :  when  there's  something  to 
be  said  you  don't  want  anybody  else  to  hear  she 
just  talks  her  loudest;  and  when  there's  something 
you're  longing  to  know  she  merely  whispers.  That's 
the  way  all  deaf  people  do,  Miss  Penelope  says. 
And  —  you're  the  one  that  lost  them,  so  you'll  be 
the  one  to  tell  her,  Dorothy  girl." 

"  Why,  child,  I  don't  see  how  I  lost  them  any 
more  than  you  did!  I'm  sorry  as  I  can  be.  Sor- 
rier about  yours  than  mine  even,  though  I'd  planned 
so  many  nice  things  to  do  with  the  money.  Five 
dollars!  Think  of  it!  I  never  before  had  five 
whole  dollars  at  a  time,  never  in  my  life ! "  said 
Dolly,  mournfully. 

"  Well,  what's  the  use  staying  down  here  and  just 
worrying  about  the  thing  ?  Let's  go  and  look  again 
for  the  man.  When  we  find  the  man  we  shall  find 
the  purses;  but  —  whether  he'll  give  them  back  to 
us  is  another  matter." 

"  Molly,  what  a  dreadful  thing  to  say !  As  if 
you  thought  he  —  he  stole  them,  a  nice  old  gentle- 
man like  that ! " 

"  Pooh !  Once  my  Aunt  Lucretia  had  her  little 
handbag  snatched  out  of  her  hand,  right  on  Broad- 
way street  in  New  York  city.  She  did  so ;  and  all 
she  could  remember  about  the  snatcher  was  that  he 
was  a  handsome  young  man  with  an  eyeglass  in  one 


26  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

eye.  A  regular  dandy  he  was,  if  the  thief  was  the 
fellow  who  brushed  against  her  so  rudely.  Any- 
how, after  he'd  brushed,  her  bag  was  gone  and  all 
her  shopping  money  in  it.  Papa  told  her  it  served 
her  right.  That  to  carry  a  purse,  or  a  bag,  that 
way  was  a  temptation  to  any  rogue  who  happened 
to  pass  by.  He  said  the  snatcher  was  smarter  than 
Auntie  and  he  hoped  it  would  teach  her  a  lesson. 
Aunt  Lu  thought  Papa  was  almost  as  horrid  as  the 
thief ;  and  what  will  either  of  them  say  to  us  for  be- 
ing so  careless  ?  " 

"  I  suppose  we'll  have  to  tell  them !  "  reflected 
Dorothy,  in  sad  perplexity. 

"  Course  we  will.  Aren't  they  both  to  meet  us 
at  the  steamer?  Aren't  they  going  with  us  all  the 
way  to  Halifax?  Why,  I  should  want  to  tell  the 
very  first  thing.  How  else  would  I  get  any  more 
money  ?  " 

"  I  don't  know,  I'm  sure.  Lucky  you !  As  for 
me  there's  nobody  to  replace  my  five  dollars,  so  far 
as  I  know." 

"  Oh !  come  on.  Don't  let's  stand  moping.  I'll 
tell  you.  Let's  begin  right  here  at  this  spot.  You 
go  one  side  this  lower  place,  all  along  that  passage 
beside  the  engine  rooms  and  things  and  I'll  go  the 
other.  Then  if  we  don't  see  him  anywhere  here 
we'll  meet  at  the  foot  of  the  stairs  and  search  the 
upper  floor  just  the  same  way.  Out  on  both  ends 
of  the  boat,  poke  into  closets  and  barber-shop  and 
captain's  office  —  everywhere  there  is  a  chance  a 
man,  a  passenger  man,  might  be." 


A  RACE  AND  ITS  ENDING  27 

It  seemed  a  fine  scheme  and  they  promptly  sep- 
arated to  put  it  into  execution.  But  when  they  met 
at  the  foot  of  the  stairway,  leading  to  the  upper 
saloon,  neither  had  any  success  to  report.  Nor  did 
they  meet  with  any  better  fortune  when  they  had 
made  a  prolonged  examination  of  the  whole  steam- 
er, even  climbing  to  the  hurricane  deck  and  ques- 
tioning the  officer  upon  the  bridge. 

As  they  slowly  descended  to  the  place  where  Miss 
Greatorex  awaited  them,  alarmed  by  their  absence 
and  equally  afraid  to  move  from  the  spot  lest  some- 
body else  should  confiscate  their  three  comfortable 
camp-chairs  and,  possibly,  their  hand  luggage,  Dor- 
othy suggested : 

"  Let's  write  it.  That'll  save  other  people, 
strangers,  from  hearing.  Miss  G.  always  carries  a 
pad  and  pencil  with  her  and  I'll  do  it  myself,  since 
you  think  I'm  most  to  blame.  But  I'm  afraid  even 
my  writing  won't  stop  her  talking  when  she  finds 
out !  Oh !  dear !  I  wish  Alfy  Babcock  had  never 
come  on  this  boat!  Then  I  shouldn't  have  gone 
to  watch  her  and  seen  him." 

"  Huh !  I  don't  think  it's  quite  fair  to  blame  poor 
Alfy  for  our  own  fault.  We'd  no  business  to  be 
so  careless,  either  one  of  us.  I  had  a  bright  notion 
that  maybe  that  stewardess  or  some  official  had  pick- 
ed up  the  pocket-books,  so  I  asked  every  single  one 
of  them,  big  and  little,  black  and  white,  and  not  a 
soul  knew  a  thing  about  it.  No,  Dolly  Doodles, 
the  blame's  our  own  and  —  the  man's ,  "  said  Molly, 
with  conviction. 


a8  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

Miss  Greatorex  was  vastly  relieved  to  see  her 
charges  returning  to  her  side.  She  had  become 
anxious  over  their  prolonged  absence  and  in  her 
nervousness  had  imagined  all  sorts  of  accidents 
which  might  have  befallen  them.  Yet  the  same 
nervousness  had  prevented  her  questioning  any 
employee  of  the  steamer,  who  had  come  near,  she 
shrinking  from  the  observation  this  would  attract 
to  her  deafness. 

Therefore,  it  was  with  a  much  brighter  smile  than 
ordinary  that  she  welcomed  the  truants,  and  was 
disappointed  to  have  her  greeting  so  dejectedly  re- 
turned. 

"  I  began  to  worry  over  you,  my  dears,  I  cannot 
call  either  of  you  really  mischievous,  yet  I  hope 
you  won't  leave  me  in  suspense  so  long  again.  Any- 
where, so  that  you  are  in  my  sight  all  of  the  time, 
you  are  free  to  move  about.  But  —  Why,  my 
dears!  What  has  happened  to  make  you  so 
sober?" 

It  certainly  was  vexing,  when  the  lady  was 
making  such  extra  effort  to  be  agreeable  and  to 
adapt  herself  to  young  people's  ideas,  to  have  these 
efforts  so  disregarded;  and  it  was  a  strange  thing 
that  Dorothy  should  without  permission  take  the 
notebook  and  pencil  from  her  teacher's  lap  and  be- 
gin to  write. 

Miss  Isobel  had  set  forth  upon  her  travels  with 
the  firm  intention  of  making  notes  about  everything 
along  the  way  and  it  disturbed  her  methodical  soul 
to  have  anybody  else  "  messing  "  with  this  neat  lit- 


A  RACE  AND  ITS  ENDING  29 

tie  record.  It  was  only  a  trifle  better  that  the  girl 
should  have  turned  to  the  very  back  of  the  book  and 
chosen  a  fly  leaf  there  to  scribble  on.  Scribbling  it 
seemed,  so  rapidly  was  it  done,  and  after  a  brief 
time  the  book  was  returned  to  its  owner  and  she  si- 
lently requested  to  examine  what  had  been  written 
in  it.  This  is  what  she  read : 

"  We've  lost  our  pocket-books.  Or,  maybe,  I 
lost  them  both.  We've  lost  the  man,  too.  He  was 
a  little,  shiny  old  man,  with  a  fringe  of  white  hair 
around  his  head.  When  he  put  his  hat  on  he  had 
two  foreheads  under  its  rim,  one  before  and  one  be- 
hind. His  coat  was  shiny.  His  hat  was  shiny  and 
had  a  hole  in  it.  He  —  he  seemed  to  shine  all  over, 
especially  in  his  smile.  That  was  perfectly  lovely. 
Have  you  seen  him?  Because  if  you  know  where 
he  is  I'd  like  to  ask  him  for  our  purses.  That  is 
if  he  has  them  as  Molly  and,  maybe,  I  think.  Else 
how  could  we  buy  his  paper  for  him  without  any 
money  and  how  can  we  give  him  the  paper  if  he  — 
isn't?  " 

Poor  Dorothy  fancied  that  she  had  made  every- 
thing most  explicit  yet,  at  the  «ame  time,  very  gently 
broken  the  news  of  the  lost  purses.  She  was  un- 
prepared for  the  expression  of  confusion  that  set- 
tled upon  Miss  Greatorex's  austere  features  as  she 
read  this  communication  once,  then  more  carefully 
a  second  time. 

Leaning  forward,  eagerly  observant  of  "  how 
she'll  take  it "  Molly  perceived  that  Dorothy's  ex- 
planation hadn't  been  sufficient;  or  else  that  it  had 


3o  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

not  dawned  upon  Miss  Isobel's  comprehension  that 
her  girls  had  really  been  so  careless,  that  the  loss 
was  genuine.  As  the  lady  looked  up,  after  this 
second  reading,  with  a  question  but  no  anger  in  her 
expression,  the  observer  exclaimed: 

"  Dolly,  I  don't  believe  you've  told  her  all.  Give 
me  the  book,  please,  Miss  G.  and  I'll  see  what  it 
says." 

Then  after  a  rapid  perusal  of  the  message  Molly 
turned  upon  her  chum  with  an  amused  indignation : 

"  You've  said  more  about  your  '  shiny  old  man ' 
with  his  adorable  smile  than  our  own  trouble.  Here, 
I'll  write  and  I  guess  there  won't  be  any  mistake  this 
time." 

So  she  also  possessed  herself  of  the  cherished 
notebook  and  made  her  own  brief  entry :  — 

"  We  laid  our  purses  down  on  a  bench  and  a  man 
stole  them.  The  same  man  D.  described.  Now 
somebody  must  have  stolen  him  'cause  he  isn't  on 
the  boat." 

"  Laid  your  purses  down  on  a  bench  and  left  them 
there  ?  "  demanded  Miss  Greatorex  in  her  most  ex- 
cited tones.  Tones  so  loud  that  all  the  passengers 
sitting  near  turned  their  heads  to  look  and  listen; 
thereby  calling  attention  to  the  two  blushing  girls,  in 
a  manner  most  unpleasant. 

All  they  could  do  to  avert  this  audible  upbraiding 
was  to  poin^t  to  the  notebook  and  mutely  beg  that 
she  would  do  her  scolding  by  that  silent  channel. 
Not  she,  however.  Never  in  all  the  years  of  her 
drudgery  of  teaching  had  she  felt  her  responsibility 


A  RACE  AND  ITS  ENDING  31 

so  great  as  now.  To  be  entrusted  with  the  charge 
of  Miss  Rhinelander's  most  indulged  pupils  —  all 
the  school  knew  that  —  had,  at  first  seemed  a  bur- 
den, and  next  a  most  delightful  honor.  But,  after 
all,  they  were  just  like  other  girls.  Just  as  care- 
less, just  as  disrespectful  and  annoying;  for  the 
sensitive  old  gentlewoman  had  considered  the  use 
of  her  notebook  a  presumption  and  their  long  ab- 
sence from  her  side  a  proof  that  they  were  incon- 
siderate. However,  these  were  mere  matters  of 
sentiment,  but  the  loss  of  ten  good  dollars  was  a 
calamity. 

"  Well,  young  ladies,  all  I  have  to  say,  and  you 
may  note  that  it  is  my  final  word,  is :  Those  pocket- 
books  must  be  found.  You  cannot  leave  this  steam- 
er until  they  are.  I  have  promised  especial  care 
over  your  expenditures  and  I  shall  do  my  duty.  I 
am  now  going  to  read  my  history  of  Hendrik  Hud- 
son. While  I  am  reading  you  can  seek  your  purses. 
We  have  still  a  long  time  before  reaching  New  York 
and  the  better  you  employ  it  the  better  for  —  all  of 
us." 

Every  syllable  was  as  distinctly  uttered  as  if  she 
were  dictating  to  a  secretary,  but  she  ignored  all  the 
curious  glances  turned  her  way  and  resumed  her 
reading  with  an  air  of  great  dignity. 

Molly  and  Dolly  exchanged  dismayed  glances ; 
then  giggled,  perceiving  amused  expressions  upon 
the  faces  of  many  travelers  near  them.  The  whole 
affair  began  to  seem  more  absurd  than  serious,  and, 
finally,  unable  to  longer  restrain  their  rather  hysteri- 


32  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

cal  mirth,  they  rose  and  walked  away  arm  in  arm. 

But  they  did  no  more  searching.  Had  they  not 
already  looked  everywhere?  Besides,  as  Molly  de- 
clared : 

"  We're  more  apt  to  see  that  man  somewhere  if 
we  sit  right  still  in  one  place.  Papa  told  me  that 
was  the  way  to  do,  if  I  were  ever  lost  anywhere.  I 
was  once,  in  a  big  store  in  New  York,  but  I  remem- 
bered, I  sat  right  down  by  the  door  and  just  waited 
and  prayed  all  the  time  that  Auntie  Lu  would  come 
and  find  me  there.  I  was  a  little  tacker  then,  not 
bigger'n  anything.  And  she  came.  I  don't  know 
how  much  the  praying  did  'cause  all  I  knew  then 
was  '  Now  I  lay  me ; '  or  how  much  the  waiting. 
Anyhow  she  found  me.  So,  maybe,  if  we  keep  still 
as  still,  the  *  shiny  man '  will  get  around  past  us 
sometime.  He's  the  lost  one  in  the  case,  isn't  he? 
And  did  you  ever  see  how  restless  the  people  all  do 
seem?  I  guess  they're  tired  of  the  long  sail  and 
anxious  to  be  off  the  boat." 

"  I  guess  so,  too.  Let's  do  something  to  pass  the 
time.  Count  how  many  girls  and  women  we  can 
see  in  white  shirt-waists  —  seems  if  it  had  rained 
them,  seems  if !  Or  how  many  people  go  trapesing 
up  and  down  the  deck.  Make  up  stories  about 
them,  too,  if  you  like,  and  fit  names  to  them.  I 
always  do  give  a  name  to  anybody  I  see  and  don't 
know.  Let's  call  that  nice  looking  man  yonder 
'  Graysie.'  He's  all  in  gray  clothes,  hat,  gloves, 
tie,  and  everything.  There's  another  might  be  what 
Monty'd  say  was  a  '  hayseed.'  I  think  that's  not  a 


A  RACE  AND  ITS  ENDING  33 

nice  name,  though,  but  just  call  him  '  Green  Fields/ 
He's  surely  come  from  some  farm  up  the  river  and 
looks  as  if  he  were  enjoying  every  minute  of  this 
sail.  I'm  beginning  to  enjoy  it  too,  now ;  only  I'm 
getting  dreadfully  hungry.  If  I  had  my  purse  I 
think  I'd  go  down  to  that  stand  in  the  corner  and 
buy  us  some  sandwiches ; "  said  Dorothy,  in  re- 
sponse. 

Cried  Molly,  indignantly : 

"  Don't  talk  about  sandwiches  to  a  poor,  starving 
girl!  Sailing  does  make  a  body  ravenous,  just 
ravenous,  even  though  we  did  have  a  '  vacation- 
breakfast  '  with  something  besides  cereals  and  milk. 
When  Miss  Rhinelander  does  *  treat '  us  she  does  it 
thoroughly.  But,  what  shall  you  order  when  we 
get  to  New  York  and  meet  Papa  and  Auntie  Lu? 
You  know  we're  all  to  dine  at  a  big  hotel,  for  the 
Nova  Scotia  boat  doesn't  sail  till  two  o'clock.  Two 
o'clock  sharp !  Not  a  minute  before  nor  a  minute 
after,  Papa  says;  and  he  goes  out  to  that  country 
every  year.  Sometimes  in  the  hunting  season  and 
now  just  to  camp  out  and  fish  and  get  —  get  fat,  I 
tell  him.  It's  dreadful  wearing  to  be  a  Judge.  Judge 
of  the  Supreme  Court.  That's  what  my  father  is. 
He's  a  bank  president,  too,  and  has  lots  to  do  with 
other  people's  money.  But  he's  something  to  do 
with  a  railway  besides,  and  all  these  things  and  his 
taking  care  of  Aunt  Lucretia's  '  property  '  wears  him 
out.  She  hasn't  any  property,  really,  except  the 
little  tumble-down  house  where  she  and  Papa  were 
born.  Papa  says  it  isn't  worth  the  cost  of  powder 


34  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

to  blow  it  up ;  but  Auntie  loves  it  and  makes  more 
fuss  over  it  than  Papa  does  over  all  his  own  things." 

"  A  Judge  is  a  man  that  can  send  a  person  to  jail 
or  not,  isn't  he?" 

"  Worse  than  that !  He  can  send  one  to  the  gal- 
lows or  the  electric  chair  —  if  he  has  to.  That's 
the  \ /earing  part;  having  to  be  '  just '  when  he  just 
longs  to  be  '  generous.'  If  it  wasn't  that  he  has 
the  same  power  to  set  a  person  free,  too,  I  guess  he'd 
give  up  Judging.  If  he  could.  I  don't  know  about 
such  things.  What  I  do  know  is  that  he  and  some 
other  Judges  and  some  more  bankers  and  such  men 
have  the  greatest  fun  ever,  summer  times.  They 
hunt  up  old  clothes  and  wear  them  right  in  the 
woods.  Auntie  says  she  doesn't  know  where  they 
find  such  duds  'cause  they  certainly  never  owned 
them  at  any  other  time.  Then  they  sleep  on  the 
ground,  and  cook  over  a  fire  they  make  themselves, 
and  fish  and  tell  stories.  '  Just  loaf  '  Papa  says,  and 
to  hear  him  tell  makes  me  sorrier  than  ever  I'm  not 
a  boy.  If  were  I  could  go  too.  But  a  girl  — 
Pshaw!  Girls  can't  do  a  single  thing  that's  worth 
while,  seems  to  me !  " 

"  I'm  afraid  I  shall  be  afraid  of  a  real  Judge, 
Molly.  I'm  afraid  I  — " 

"  The  idea !  You'll  forget  all  those  '  afraids  '  the 
minute  you  see  my  darling  father!  But  you  didn't 
say  what  you'd  order  for  your  dinner." 

"  How  can  I  order  anything  if  I  haven't  the  money 
to  pay  for  it?  Or  does  that  all  go  in  with  the  ex- 
penses of  the  whole  trip,  that  Miss  Greatorex  has  to 


A  RACE  AND  ITS  ENDING  35 

take  care  of  ?  "  asked  Dorothy,  who  was  in  real  ig- 
norance of  some  most  practical  matters,  having 
merely  been  told  that  she  was  to  take  this  journey 
under  Miss  Greatorex's  charge. 

"  I  don't  know  what  goes  in  or  out ;  but  I  do 
know  that  my  father  wouldn't  let  ladies  pay  for 
their  dinners  when  he  was  along.  A  pretty  kind  of 
a  gentleman  that  would  be!  And  Judge  Schuyler 
Breckenridge  is  a  Perfect  Gentleman,  I  want  you 
to  understand,"  answered  Molly,  proudly. 

"  So  is  my  Father  John,"  said  Dorothy  with  equal 
decision;  and  for  a  few  minutes  there  was  silence 
while  each  loyal  daughter  reflected  upon  the  aston- 
ishing merits  of  their  respective  fathers. 

Afterward  they  interested  themselves  in  watch- 
ing the  people  near  them ;  so  that  it  was  with  some 
surprise  they  heard  "  Diamond,"  the  steward,  an- 
nouncing : 

"  New  Yawk !  Twenty-third  street  landin' ! 
Fo'wa'd  gangway  fo'  Twen-ty  —  thir-d-st-r-e-et ! !  " 

Then  followed  a  little  scurry  as  they  sought  Miss 
Greatorex  to  inquire  if  this  were  where  they  would 
leave  the  boat.  However  she  said  not;  that  they 
were  to  remain  on  board  until  the  steamer  landed  at 
Desbrosses  street,  lower  down  the  city.  There  she 
had  been  informed  that  Judge  Breckenridge  and 
Mrs.  Hungerford  would  meet  them.  After  dining 
together  they  would  cross  the  city  to  the  other  East 
River  and  take  the  steamer  for  Yarmouth.  It  was 
all  very  simple  and  yet  very  exciting. 

Both  Miss  Isobel  and  her  pupils  had  "  read  up  " 


36  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

on  Nova  Scotia  and  felt  as  if  the  short  ocean  trip 
would  land  them  in  a  foreign  country.  Whether 
the  entire  vacation  should  be  passed  in  that  Province 
or  they  to  travel  further  a-field  had  not  yet  been  de- 
cided. 

However,  New  York  was  sufficiently  exciting, 
even  to  Molly  who  had  been  there  many  times,  and 
far  more  so  to  Dorothy,  who  had  passed  through  it 
but  once.  They  could  scarcely  keep  their  feet  from 
dancing  as  they  gathered  with  the  rest  of  the  down- 
town passengers  to  await  the  landing  of  the 
"  Powell  "  and  their  going  ashore. 

"  See !  See !  Papa !  Darling  Auntie  Lu !  There 
they  are,  there  they  are ! "  almost  shrieked  Molly, 
frantically  waving  her  handkerchief  to  somebody  on 
the  wharf. 

There  were  many  answering  wavings  of  handker- 
chiefs from  expectant  friends  to  those  still  on  board, 
and  Dorothy  peered  eagerly  among  them  trying  to 
decide  which  was  the  pair  to  whom  her  chum  be- 
longed. Turning  her  head  to  beg  information  on 
this  point  she  suddenly  perceived  her  "  shiny  old 
man."  He  was  on  the  edge  of  the  crowding  passen- 
gers, holding  back  and  yet  apparently  in  haste  to 
get  forward,  by  watching  for  little  breaks  in  the 
ranks  and  dodging  swiftly  through  them.  His 
crutch  was  under  his  arm,  he  was  not  using  it.  His 
hat-brim  had  been  lowered  over  his  face,  his  coat 
collar  pulled  high  about  his  ears  and  securely  but- 
toned. There  was  none  of  that  benign  appearance 
about  him  now  which  had  so  won  Dorothy's  sympa- 


A  RACE  AND  ITS  ENDING  37 

thetic  heart  and  if  he  were  lame  he  admirably  dis- 
guised the  fact. 

It  was  her  chance !  In  another  moment  he  would 
have  left  the  boat  and  she  would  miss  him.  She 
would  run  up  to  him  and  ask  him  if  he  remembered 
about  the  purses  —  Quick,  quick!  He  must  have 
forgotten  — 

He  was  going.  Everybody  was  going.  She  kept 
her  eyes  fixed  upon  him,  unmindful  of  the  fact  that 
somebody  else  was  crowding  her  apart  from  Molly 
and  Miss  Greatorex,  or  that,  as  the  throng  pressed 
outward,  they  were  getting  further  and  further 
away. 

The  "  shiny  man  "  wasn't  three  feet  ahead  of  her 
when  they  at  last  gained  the  gang-plank  and  surg- 
ed forward  to  the  wharf.  She  could  almost  touch 
his  shoulder  —  she  would  in  a  minute  —  she  was 
gaining  — 

No  she  wasn't!  He  had  slipped  aside  and  was 
hurrying  away  with  the  agility  of  youth !  It  couldn't 
be  the  cripple  and  yet  —  there  was  the  point  of  his 
crutch  sticking  out  behind  !  Well,  she  reckoned  she 
could  run  as  fast  as  he  did  and  she  promptly  set  out 
to  try ! 

It  was  a  strange  race  in  a  strange  place.  West 
street  in  New  York  is  a  very  crowded,  dirty  thor- 
oughfare. An  endless,  unbroken  line  of  drays,  beer- 
wagons,  vehicles  of  every  sort,  moves  up  one  side 
and  down  the  other  of  the  hurrying  street  cars  which 
claim  the  centre  roadway.  The  pavement  is  always 
slippery  with  slime,  the  air  always  full  of  hoarse 


38  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

shouts,  cries  and  distracting  whistles.  Car  bells 
jangle,  policemen  yell  their  warnings  to  unwary 
foot  passengers,  hackmen  screech  their  demands  for 
patronage,  and  hurrying  crowds  move  to  and  fro 
between  the  ferries  and  the  city.  A  place  that 
speedily  set  Dorothy's  nerves  a-tingle  with  fear,  yet 
never  once  diverted  her  from  her  purpose. 

As  she  had  once  followed  poor  Peter  Piper  in  a 
mad  race  over  the  fields,  "  just  for  fun,"  so  now  she 
followed  her  "  shiny  man,"  to  regain  her  lost  prop- 
erty. She  had  become  convinced  that  he  had  it. 
He  looked,  at  last,  exactly  like  a  person  who  would 
rob  little  girls  of  their  last  five  dollars !  Their  own 
whole  monthly  allowance  and  a  most  liberal  one. 

"  But  he  shall  not  keep  it !  He  —  shall  —  not !  " 
cried  Dorothy  aloud,  and  redoubling  her  speed,  if 
that  were  possible. 

He  darted  between  wagons  where  the  horses' 
noses  of  the  hinder  one  touched  the  tail-boards  of 
the  forward;  so  did  she.  He  bobbed  under  drays; 
so  did  she.  He  seemed  bent  upon  nothing  but  es- 
cape; she  upon  nothing  but  pursuit  and  capture. 
She  believed  that  he  must  have  seen  her  though  she 
had  not  caught  him  turning  once  around  to  look  her 
way: 

They  had  cleared  the  street;  they  were  upon  the 
further  sidewalk;  a  policeman  was  screaming  a 
"halt"  to  her  but  she  paid  no  attention.  In  that 
medley  of  sounds  one  harsh  cry  more  or  less  was  of 
small  account.  What  was  of  account,  the  only  thing 
that  now  remained  clear  in  her  eager  brain  was  the 


A  RACE  AND  ITS  ENDING  39 

fact  that  the  fugitive  had  —  turned  a  corner!  A 
corner  leading  into  a  street  at  right  angles  with  this 
broad  one,  a  street  somewhat  narrower,  a  fraction 
quieter,  and  even  dirtier.  She  followed;  she  also 
flashed  around  that  dingy,  saloon-infested  corner, 
bounded  forward,  breathless  and  exultant,  because 
surely  she  could  some  up  to  him  here.  Then  she 
paused  for  just  one  breath,  dashed  her  hand  across 
her  straining  eyes,  and  peered  ahead. 

The  "  shiny  man  "  had  disappeared  as  completely 
as  if  the  earth  had  opened  and  swallowed  him  up; 
and  there  Dorothy  stood  alone  in  the  most  un- 
savory of  alleys,  with  a  sudden,  dreadful  realization 
of  the  fact  that  —  she  was  lost. 


CHAPTER  III 

ADRIFT  IN  THE  GREAT  CITY 

"  MY  darling !  My  darling !  "  cried  Judge  Breck- 
enridge,  clasping  his  daughter  close  to  his  breast, 
then  holding  her  off  at  arm's  length,  the  better  to 
scan  her  beloved  face  and  to  observe  the  changes  a 
few  months  of  absence  had  wrought.  "  My  darling 
Molly!  More  like  the  other  Molly  than  ever! 
Now  my  vacation  has  indeed  begun !  " 

"  Papa,  Papa !  You  sweetest,  dearest,  beautiful- 
lest  Papa  ever  lived!  How  good  it  is  to  see  you! 
And,  yes  Auntie  Lu,  you're  dear  too ;  but  a  body's 
father  —  Why,  he's  her  father  and  nobody  like  him, 
nobody ! " 

In  her  enthusiastic  greeting  of  and  by  her  rela- 
tives Molly  forgot  everything  and  everybody  else. 
She  had  crossed  the  gang-plank  as  swiftly  as  the 
people  crowding  behind  and  before  her  would  per- 
mit, her  feet  restlessly  dancing  up  and  down  in  the 
limited  space ;  and  now  that  she  was  upon  the  solid 
wharf  to  which  the  steamer  was  moored  she  bore 
them  along  with  her  by  an  arm  linked  to  each,  eager 
to  be  free  of  that  throng  and  in  some  quiet  spot 

40 


ADRIFT  IN  THE  GREAT  CITY  41 

where  she  could  perch  upon  her  father's  knee  and 
talk,  talk,  talk ! 

Had  any  of  the  trio  thought  about  it  for  a  mo- 
ment they  would  have  observed  Miss  Greatorex 
lingering  close  to  the  plank  and  staring  at  everyone 
who  crossed  it,  searching  for  Dorothy. 

"  Strange !  She  certainly  was  right  here  a  min- 
ute ago !  I  thought  she  had  gone  off  the  boat  ahead 
of  me,  but  she  couldn't  have  done  so,  for  she's  no- 
where in  sight ;  "  she  murmured  to  herself. 

When  all  had  crossed  and  still  Dorothy  did  not 
appear,  the  anxious  teacher  returned  to  the  boat 
and  renewed  her  search  there :  asking  of  all  the  em- 
ployees she  met  if  they  had  seen  her  missing  charge. 
But  one  of  them  had  noticed  the  girl  at  all ;  that  was 
a  workman  who  had  helped  to  drag  the  gang-plank 
into  place  upon  the  wharf  and  against  whom  Dor- 
othy had  rudely  dashed  in  her  pursuit  of  the  "  shiny 
man." 

He  remembered  her  excited  manner,  her  swift 
apology  to  himself  for  the  accident,  and  her  fran- 
tic rush  across  the  wharf.  He  had  looked  after 
her  with  curiosity  and  had  remarked  to  a  bystander : 

"  That  little  passenger  is  afraid  she'll  get  left ! 
Maybe  she  doesn't  know  we  lie  alongside  this  dock 
till  mid-afternoon." 

Then  he  had  gone  about  his  own  affairs  and  dis- 
missed her  from  his  mind  till,  thus  recalled  by  Miss 
Greatorex's  question,  he  wished  he  had  watched 
her  more  closely.  He  was  afraid  she  might  have 
been  hurt  among  the  heavy  wagons  moving  about, 


42  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

and  that  was  the  poor  comfort  which  he  expressed 
to  the  now  thoroughly  frightened  lady. 

Meanwhile  the  Breckenridge  party  had  crossed 
the  street,  under  conveyance  of  a  waiting  policeman, 
and  had  paused  upon  the  further  curb  while  Molly 
explained : 

"  Miss  Greatorex  is  dreadful  slow,  Papa  dear. 
But  she'll  be  here  in  a  minute.  She's  sure  to  be  and 
Dolly  with  her.  Oh !  she  is  the  very  sweetest,  dear- 
est, bravest  girl  I  ever  knew !  If  I  had  a  sister  I 
should  want  her  to  be  exactly  like  Dorothy.  I  won- 
der what  does  keep  them !  And  I'm  so  hungry,  so 
terribly  hungry  and  we  lost  our  purses  —  couldn't 
be  she'd  linger  to  search  for  them  again  when  we've 
already  ransacked  the  whole  boat!  Why,  Papa, 
look !  Miss  Greatorex  is  on  the  boat  again,  herself. 
Running,  fairly  running  around  the  deck  and  act- 
ing as  if  she,  to,  had  lost  something.  How  queer 
that  is ! " 

Both  the  gentleman  and  lady  now  fixed  their  at- 
tention upon  the  teacher,  until  that  moment  un- 
known to  them.  She  certainly  was  conducting  her- 
self in  a  strange,  half-bewildered  manner  and  the 
Judge  realized  that  there  was  something  wrong. 
Bidding  his  sister  and  child : 

"  Stay  right  here  on  this  corner.  Don't  leave 
it.  I'll  step  back  to  the  steamer  and  see  what's 
amiss ;  "  and  to  the  hackman  he  had  summoned, 
he  added :  "  Keep  your  rig  right  on  the  spot  and 
an  eye  upon  these  fares !  I'll  be  back  in  a  minute." 

But  he  wasn't.     When  he  did  come,  after  Mrs. 


Dorothy't  Travels. 


"ARE  YOU  A  POLICEMAN?' 


ADRIFT  IN  THE  GREAT  CITY  43 

Hungerford  and  Molly  had  had  ample  time  to  grow 
anxious  themselves,  it  was  with  a  woe-begone  Miss 
Greatorex  upon  his  arm  and  a  very  disturbed  ex- 
pression on  his  own  face. 

"Why,  Papa,  where's  Dolly?  Why  didn't  she 
come,  too?  "  cried  Molly,  darting  to  meet  him. 

"  That,  my  dear,  is  exactly  what  this  lady  and  I 
would  like  to  know.  I  was  in  hopes  she  might  have 
seen  you  standing  here  and  crossed  to  join  you. 
Well,  she's  been  in  too  great  haste,  likely,  and 
started  by  herself  to  go  —  I  wonder  where !  Any- 
way, the  best  thing  to  be  done  is  for  you  three  to  get 
into  this  carriage  and  drive  to  the  Astor  House  and 
order  dinner  for  all  of  us.  It's  an  old-time  hotel 
where  my  father  and  I  used  to  go  when  I  was  a 
boy  myself,  and  I  patronized  it  for  old  association's 
sake.  You,  small  daughter,  had  fixed  your  mind 
on  nothing  less  than  the  Waldorf-Astoria,  I  ex- 
pect !  Never  mind ;  you'll  get  as  good  food  in  one 
place  as  the  other." 

"  But,  Papa,  aren't  you  coming  with  us  ?  " 

"  Not  just  yet.  I'll  stop  behind  a  bit  and  set  a 
few  policemen  or  small  boys  in  search  for  Miss 
Dorothy.  Tell  me  something  by  which  we  can 
recognize  her  when  found.  New  York  is  pretty 
full  of  little  girls,  you  know,  and  I  might  miss  her 
among  so  many." 

The  Judge  tried  to  make  his  tone  a  careless  one 
but  there  was  real  anxiety  in  it  as  his  sister  promptly 
understood;  but  she  also  felt  it  best  to  treat  the 
matter  lightly,  for  already  poor  Miss  Isobel  was 


44  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

on  the  point  of  collapse.  So  she  answered  readily 
enough : 

"  Very  well,  brother,  so  we'll  do.  I  reckon  I 
know  your  tastes  so  that  I  can  cater  for  you  and  — 
is  there  any  limit  to  what  we  may  order?  I'm 
a  bit  hungry  myself  and  always  do  crave  the  most 
expensive  dishes  on  the  menu.  Good  by,  for  a  little 
while." 

The  Judge  bade  the  driver:  "To  the  Astor 
House ;  "  lifted  his  hat  to  those  within  the  carriage, 
and  it  moved  away. 

Then  he  summoned  a  policeman  and  asked  that 
scouts  be  sent  out  all  through  that  neighborhood,  to 
search  for  a  "  thirteen-year-old  girl,  in  a  brown 
linen  dress,  dark  curly  hair,  brown  eyes,  and  — 
'  Oh !  just  too  stylish  for  words ! ' "  which  was  the 
description  his  daughter  had  given  him.  Indeed, 
he  felt  that  this  very  "  stylishness  "  might  be  a  clue 
to  the  right  person;  since  denizens  of  that  locality, 
girls  or  women,  are  not  apt  to  have  that  character- 
istic about  them. 

He  was  a  weary  man.  He  had  been  up  late  the 
night  before,  and  previous  to  his  journey  hither  had 
been  extremely  busy  leaving  matters  right  in  his 
southern  home  for  a  prolonged  absence.  He  had 
counted  upon  the  hour  or  two  before  sailing  in 
which  to  procure  some  additions  to  his  sportsman's 
outfit,  and  sorely  begrudged  this  unexpected  de- 
mand upon  his  time.  Yet  he  could  do  no  less  than 
try  to  find  the  runaway,  and  to  make  the  search  as 
thorough  as  if  it  had  been  his  own  child's  case. 


ADRIFT  IN  THE  GREAT  CITY  45 

It  was  more  than  an  hour  later  that  he  appeared 
in  the  dining  room  of  the  hotel  where  his  family 
awaited  him.  They  had  still  delayed  their  own  din- 
ner, though  Molly's  hunger  had  almost  compelled 
her  to  enjoy  hers.  Only  the  thought  of  "  eating  with 
Papa,"  had  restrained  her,  because  she  had  little 
fear  that  Dorothy  would  not  be  promptly  found,  or 
that  she  had  done  more  than  go  a  few  blocks  out  of 
the  way.  She  had  often  been  in  that  city  before, 
though  only  in  its  better  parts,  and  it  all  seemed 
simple  enough  to  her.  It  had  been  explained  that 
the  upper  part  was  laid  out  in  squares,  with  the 
avenues  running  north  and  south,  the  cross-streets 
easily  told  by  their  numbers.  How  then  could  any- 
body who  could  count  be  lost? 

"  No  news,  Schuyler  ?  "  asked  Aunt  Lucretia. 

"  Not  yet.  Not  quite  yet.  But  there  will  be,  of 
course  there  will  be.  I've  set  a  lot  of  people  hunt- 
ing that  extremely  '  stylish '  young  maiden,  so  I 
thought  I'd  best  come  down  and  get  my  dinner  and 
let  you  know  that  all's  being  done  that  can  be. 
Don't  worry,  Miss  Greatorex.  A  capable  girl  like 
Dorothy  isn't  easy  to  lose  in  a  city  full  of  policemen, 
if  she'll  only  use  her  tongue  and  ask  for  guidance. 
Probably  she  has  gone  back  to  the  "  Powell "  al- 
ready, hoping  to  find  us  all  there.  Before  I  eat  I'll 
telephone  again  and  inquire,  although  I  did  so  just 
a  little  while  ago,  as  I  came  in." 

The  more  he  talked  the  less  he  convinced  his 
listeners  that  it  would  be  that  "  all  right "  he  had 
so  valiantly  asserted.  Even  Molly's  hunger  sud- 


46  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

denly  deserted  her  and  she  pushed  away  a  plate  of 
especially  enticing  dessert  with  a  shake  of  her  head 
and  an  exclamation: 

"Papa's  talking  —  just  talking!  Like  he  always 
does  when  he  takes  me  to  the  dentist's !  His  voice 
doesn't  ring  true,  Auntie  Lu,  and  you  know  it. 
You  needn't  smile  and  try  to  look  happy,  for  you 
can't.  Dorothy  is  lost!  My  precious  Dolly 
Doodles  is  lost  —  is  LOST !  " 

For  a  moment  nobody  answered.  Miss  Great- 
orex  echoed  the  exclamation  in  her  own  sinking 
heart,  realizing  at  last  how  fully  she  had  depended 
upon  the  Judge's  ability  to  find  the  girl,  until  he 
had  once  more  appeared  without  her.  He  had 
promptly  sent  a  messenegr  to  telephone  again  and 
awaiting  the  reply  made  a  feint  of  taking  his  soup. 
Mrs.  Hungerford  kept  her  eyes  fixed  upon  her 
plate,  not  daring  just  then  to  lift  them  to  Miss 
Greatorex's  white  face ;  and  altogether  it  was  a  very 
anxious  party  which  sat  at  table  then  instead  of  the 
merry  one  which  all  had  anticipated. 

When  their  pretence  of  a  meal  was  over  and  they 
rose,  the  Judge  looked  at  his  watch.  Then  he  said : 

"  We  have  only  time  left  to  reach  the  '  Prince ' 
in  comfort.  It  is  a  long  way  up  and  across  town 
to  the  dock  on  East  river.  You  three  must  start  for 
it  at  once.  I'll  step  into  a  store  near  by  for  a  few 
things  I  need  and  follow  you.  Of  course,  Dorothy 
knew  all  about  her  trip,  the  steamer  she  would  sail 
by,  and  its  landing  place.  Even  if  she  didn't  know 
that  most  of  the  officers  would  know  and  direct  her. 


ADRIFT  IN  THE  GREAT  CITY  47 

"  I  now  think  that  having  missed  us  at  the 
'  Powell '  she  has  gone  straight  to  the  other  boat 
and  you  will  find  her  there.  I'll  follow  you  in  time 
for  sailing  and  till  then,  good-by.  A  hack  is  ready 
for  you  at  the  door." 

Then  he  went  hastily  out,  and  Mrs.  Hungerford 
said: 

"  Brother  is  wise.  We  certainly  shan't  find  Dolly 
here,  and  we  may  at  the  '  Prince.'  Have  you  all 
your  parcels,  both  of  you  ?  Then  come." 

They  followed  her  meekly  enough  but  at  the  street 
entrance  Miss  Greatorex  rebelled.  Her  anxiety 
gave  a  more  than  ordinary  irritation  to  her  temper 
and  harshness  to  her  voice,  and  her  habitually  un- 
gracious manner  became  more  repellent  than  ever  as 
she  announced : 

"  That's  all  very  well,  Mrs.  Hungerford,  and 
Molly.  But  I  shan't  go  one  step  toward  Nova 
Scotia  till  I've  found  my  little  girl.  You  three  are 
all  right,  you've  got  yourselves  and  of  course  other 
people  don't  matter.  But  Dorothy  saved  my  life 
and  I'll  not  desert  her  to  nobody  knows  what  dread- 
ful fate!  No,  I  will  not,  and  you  needn't  say  an- 
other single  word ! " 

As  nobody  had  interrupted  her  excited  speech  this 
last  admonition  seemed  rather  uncalled  for,  but 
Molly  waxed  indignant  thereat,  though  her  Aunt 
Lucretia  merely  smiled  compassionately.  Then  as 
they  still  stood  upon  the  sidewalk,  hesitating  to  en- 
ter their  carriage,  Miss  Isobel  waved  her  umbrella 
wildly  toward  another  hack,  and  when  it  had  obeyed 


48  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

her  summons  sprang  into  it  and  was  whirled  away. 

Where  was  Dorothy  all  this  time?  Little  she 
knew  of  the  commotion  she  had  caused.  Indeed, 
for  a  long  time,  her  only  thought  was  for  herself 
and  her  unfortunate  predicament.  She  had  never 
been  so  frightened  in  her  life.  Nothing  had  ever 
looked  so  big,  so  dismal,  and  so  altogether  hopeless 
as  this  wretched  side  street  where  her  fugitive  had 
disappeared.  There  was  not  a  policeman  in  sight. 
She  didn't  know  which  way  to  go,  but  promptly 
realized  that  she  should  not  stay  just  there  in  that 
degraded  neighborhood.  Even  the  wider  street 
from  which  she  had  diverged,  with  its  endless  lines 
of  wagons  and  people,  was  better.  But  —  she  must 
go  somewhere ! 

She  set  out  forward,  resolutely,  and  as  it  proved 
eastward  toward  that  famous  Broadway  which 
threads  the  city  from  its  north  to  south,  but  that 
was  yet  many  blocks  removed.  Indeed,  it  seemed 
an  endless  way  that  stretched  beyond  her;  and  it 
was  not  until  she  had  run  for  some  distance  that 
her  common  sense  awoke  with  the  thought : 

"  Why,  how  silly  I  am !  I  must  go  back  to  the 
boat.  That's  where  I'll  be  missed  and  looked  for. 
Of  course,  Miss  Greatorex  wouldn't  go  on  and  leave 
me,  and  oh !  dear !  I  reckon  I've  made  her  wait  till 
she'll  be  angry.  I'll  ask  the  first  nice  looking  gen- 
tleman I  see,  if  no  policeman  comes,  the  way  to  the 
'  Mary  Powell.'  Here  comes  one  now  — " 

A  busy  man  came  speeding  toward  her,  whose 
coat  skirt  she  tried  to  clutch;  but  he  didn't  even 


ADRIFT  IN  THE  GREAT  CITY  49 

hear  the  question  she  put.  He  merely  waved  her 
aside,  as  he  would  any  other  street  beggar  with  the 
passing  remark :  "  Nothing.  Get  away !  " 

The  second  person  to  whom  she  applied  was  Ger- 
man and  shook  his  head  with  a  forcible  negative. 
So  he,  too,  moved  on  and  she  stopped  to  think  and 
recover  some  portion  of  that  courage  which  had  al- 
most deserted  her. 

"  Of  course.  I  couldn't  be  really  lost,  not  really 
truly  so,  right  in  the  broad  daylight  and  a  city  full 
of  people.  But  I  am  ashamed  to  have  stayed  so 
long.  Oh!  good!  There  comes  a  man  in  uniform 
—  a  policeman,  a  policeman !  " 

Quite  at  rest  now  she  darted  forward  and  caught 
at  the  hand  of  the  uniformed  person  who  stared 
at  her  in  surprise  but  not  unkindly. 

"  Well,  little  maid,  what's  wanted?  " 

"  O,  sir  1  Are  you  a  policeman  ?  Will  you  take 
me  to  where  I  belong?  " 

"  Sorry  to  say  '  no '  to  both  your  questions,  but 
I'm  only  a  railway  conductor,  in  a  hurry  to  catch 
my  outgoing  train.  Wait  a  minute,  child,  and  a 
real  police  officer  will  come  and  will  look  out  for 
you." 

The  blue-coated,  much  brass-buttoned  man 
snatched  his  hand  from  her  clinging  grasp  and 
strode  westward  in  desperate  haste.  He  had  cal- 
culated his  time  to  the  last  second  and  even  this 
trifling  delay  annoyed  him. 

But  he  had  prophesied  aright.  A  policeman  was 
coming  into  view,  leisurely  sauntering  over  his  beat, 


50  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

and  on  the  lookout  for  anything  amiss.  Dorothy 
hurried  forward,  planted  herself  firmly  in  this  man's 
path  and  demanded  again: 

"  Are  you  a  policeman  ?  " 

"  Sure  an'  'tis  that  same  that  I  be !  Thanks  for 
all  mercies !  Me  first  day  alone  at  the  job,  an'  what 
can  I  do  for  ye,  me  pretty  colleen  ?  " 

"  Tell  me,  or  take  me,  back  to  the  '  Mary  Powell,' 
please.  I  —  I've  lost  my  way." 

"  Arrah  musha !  An'  if  I  was  after  doin'  that 
same  I'd  be  losin'  mine !  The  '  Mary  Powell '  is 
it?  Tell  me  where  does  she  be  livin'  at.  I'm  not 
long  in  this  counthry  and  but  new  app'inted  to  the 
foruss.  Faith  it's  a  biggish  sort  of  town  to  be 
huntin'  one  lone  woman  in." 

To  anybody  older  or  wiser  than  Dorothy  Chester 
the  very  fact  of  his  loquacity  would  have  betrayed 
his  newness  to  the  "  foruss."  There  wasn't  a 
prouder  nor  happier  man  in  the  whole  great  city, 
that  day,  than  Larry  McCarthy,  as  he  proceeded  to 
explain : 

"  First  cousin  on  me  mother's  side  to  Alderman 
Bryan  McCarthy,  as  has  helped  me  over  from 
Connemara,  this  late  whiles,  and  has  made  me  a 
free-born  Amerikin  citizen,  glory  be." 

"  That  must  be  very  nice.  I  suppose  an  alderman 
is  some  sort  of  a  very  high-up  man,  isn't  he? 
But  — " 

"  High  is  it,  says  she.  Higher  'an  I  was  when 
I  was  carryin'  me  hod  up  wan  thim  '  sky-scrapers ' 
they  do  build  in  this  forsaken  —  I  mane  blessed  — 


ADRIFT  IN  THE  GREAT  CITY  51 

counthry,  says  he.  Sure  it's  a  higher-up  Bryan  is, 
the  foine  lad." 

"  Please,  please,  will  you  take  me  to  the  '  Mary 
Powell'?" 

"  How  can  I  since  ye've  not  told  me  yet  wherever 
she  lives?  " 

"  Why  she  isn't  a  —  she !     She's  a  boat !  " 

"  Hear  til  the  lass !  She  isn't  a  she  isn't  she  ? 
Then  she  must  be  a  he,  and  that'd  beat  a  priest  to 
explain ;  "  and  at  his  own  joke  the  newly-fledged 
officer  indulged  in  a  most  unofficial  burst  of  laugh- 
ter. So  long  and  so  loud  was  this  that  Dorothy 
stamped  her  foot  impatiently  and  another  uniformed 
member  of  "  the  force,"  passing  by  on  the  other 
side  of  the  street,  crossed  over  to  investigate. 

At  whose  arrival  officer  Larry  straightened  him- 
self like  a  ramrod,  squared  his  shoulders,  and  af- 
fected to  be  intensely  angry  with  the  small  person 
who  had  delayed  him  upon  his  beat.  But  he  could 
not  deceive  the  keen  eyes  of  the  more  experienced 
policeman  and  his  superior  in  rank. 

With  a  swift  recognition  of  the  newcomer's 
greater  intelligence,  Dorothy  put  her  inquiry  to  him, 
breathlessly  stating  her  whole  case,  including  the 
loss  of  her  purse  and  her  regret  over  it. 

"  'Cause  now,  you  see,  sir,  I  haven't  any  money 
to  pay  for  being  taken  back.  Else  I  would  have 
called  a  carriage,  like  people  do  sometimes,  and  got 
the  carriage  man  to  take  me.  That  is,  if  there  was 
any  carriage,  and  any  man,  and  I  —  I  had  any 
money.  Oh!  dear!  That  isn't  what  I  wanted  to 


52  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

say,  but  I'm  so  tired  running  and  —  and  —  it's 
dreadful  to  be  lost  in  a  New  York  city ! " 

Her  explanation  ended  in  a  miserable  breakdown 
of  sobs  and  tears.  Now  that  help  had  come  —  she 
was  sure  of  it  after  one  glance  into  this  second  of- 
ficer's honest  face  —  her  courage  collapsed  entirely. 
The  sergeant  allowed  her  a  moment  to  compose  her- 
self and  then  said,  as  he  took  out  a  notebook  and 
prepared  to  write  in  it: 

"  Now,  once  more.  Tell  me  exactly,  or  listen  if 
I  have  the  facts  right.  You  are  a  pupil  at  the 
Rhinelander  Academy  in  Newburgh.  You  are 
starting  upon  a  trip  for  your  summer  vacation.  You 
are  under  the  care  of  Miss  Greatorex,  a  teacher. 
You  ran  away  from  the  steamer  '  Mary  Powell '  in 
pursuit  of  a  man  whom  you  think  carried  off  your 
own  and  a  friend's  purse.  Very  well.  I  will  send 
you  to  the  boat  and  if  your  story  is  true  you  will 
be  restored  to  your  friends  and  nothing  more  will 
come  of  it.  If  it  isn't  true,  you  will  be  sent  to  a 
station-house  to  await  developments.  McCarthy, 
proceed  upon  your  beat." 

Larry  shrugged  his  shoulders  more  snugly  into  his 
new  uniform,  assumed  the  bearing  of  a  drum  major 
and  duly  proceeded.  The  superior  officer  put  a 
whistle  to  his  lips,  and  like  the  genii  in  Arabian 
Nights,  his  servant  instantly  appeared. 

"  Call  a  cab.  Take  this  young  person  to  the 
'  Mary  Powell,'  foot  of  Desbrosses  street.  If  her 
guardian  is  not  there,  drive  to  the  other  landing  at 
Twenty-third  street  and  inquire  if  the  girl  has  been 


ADRIFT  IN  THE  GREAT  CITY  53 

sought  for  there.  If  this  is  a  false  story,  report  to 
me  at  the  station  and,  of  course,  bring  the  girl  with 
you." 

The  words  "  station  house  "  sounded  ominous  in 
Dorothy's  ears.  During  her  Baltimore  life  she  had 
learned  all  that  was  necessary  about  such  places  to 
infect  her  with  fear,  having  with  other  children 
sometimes  watched  the  "  police  patrol  wagons " 
make  their  dreary  rounds.  She  had  peered  at  the 
unhappy  prisoners  sitting  within  the  van  and  had 
pitied  them  unspeakably,  despite  the  fact  that  they 
must  have  been  wicked.  A  picture  of  herself  thus 
seated  and  despairing  flashed  before  her  mind,  but 
she  put  its  resolutely  aside  and  with  great  humility 
stepped  into  the  cab  which  her  new  protector  had 
summoned. 

This  was  one  of  those  then  new  electric  cabs  and 
instantly  riveted  her  attention.  To  move  through 
the  streets  so  swiftly  without  visible  means  of  loco- 
motion was  as  delightful  as  novel;  and  the  skill 
with  which  the  driver  perched  up  behind  twisted 
around  corners  and  among  crowding  vehicles 
seemed  fairly  wonderful. 

It  was  a  most  charming  ride,  despite  the  fact  that 
she  was  a  lost  person  seeking  her  friends,  and  it 
came  all  too  soon  to  an  end  at  the  dock  she  had 
named.  She  recognized  the  place  at  once  and  was 
out  of  the  cab,  hurrying  along  the  wharf,  calling 
back  to  her  guide: 

"  Here  she  is !  This  is  the  '  Mary  Powell ! ' 
See?" 


54  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

He  was  promptly  at  her  side  again,  his  duty  be- 
ing not  to  lose  sight  of  her  until  that  "  report "  had 
been  duly  made  when  and  where  ordered.  Also, 
the  recognition  of  her  by  "  Fanny  "  and  the  other 
boat  hands  proved  that  thus  much  of  her  tale  was 
true.  She  had  come  down  the  river  on  that  steam- 
er's last  trip  and  people  had  been  back  upon  it, 
frantically  seeking  news  of  her. 

"  You  oughtn't  to  have  run  away  like  that,  little 
girl,  and  scare  them  people  into  forty  fits.  That 
nice  Judge  —  somebody,  he  said  his  name  was  — 
he  hired  no  end  of  people  to  go  searching  for  you 
and  now  you've  come  and  he  hasn't.  Like  enough 
they've  gone  to  the  other  landing,  up-town,  to  seek 
you.  Better  drive  there,  policeman,  and  see." 

"  All  right.  But,  stewardess,  if  anybody  comes 
again  to  inquire,  say  that  she'll  be  taken  to  the 
'  Prince '  steamship,  East  river,  and  be  held  there 
till  the  boat  sails.  Afterward  at  station  number  — ." 

There  is  no  need  to  follow  all  of  Dorothy's  seek- 
ing of  her  friends.  Already,  as  has  been  told,  they 
had  made  a  fruitless  search  for  her;  and  when  at 
length  fully  convinced  that  she  was  telling  a 
"  straight  case  "  the  official  who  had  her  in  charge, 
failing  to  find  Miss  Greatorex  at  that  "  up-town 
landing  " —  though  a  dock-hand  said  that  she  had 
been  there  and  again  hurried  away  "  as  if  she  was  a 
crazy  piece  " —  the  cab  was  turned  toward  that  east- 
side  dock  whence  the  voyage  to  Nova  Scotia  was 
to  be  made. 

Here   everything   was   verified.     Dorothy's    lug- 


ADRIFT  IN  THE  GREAT  CITY  55 

gage  marked  with  her  name  was  in  the  baggage- 
room,  having  been  sent  down  the  day  before  in  or- 
der to  prevent  mischance.  With  it  was  the  luggage 
of  Molly  Breckenridge  and  Miss  Greatorex.  Also 
upon  the  steamer's  sailing  list  was  her  name  and  the 
stateroom  to  which  she  had  been  assigned.  To  this 
point  then  must  all  the  rest  of  the  party  come  if  they 
were  to  sail  by  that  vessel.  Obviously,  it  was  the 
safest  place  for  her  to  await  her  friends,  and  she 
was  promptly  permitted  to  go  aboard  and  watch  for 
them. 

She  had  expected  to  see  a  much  larger  craft  than 
the  "  Prince."  Why,  it  wasn't  half  as  large,  it 
seemed  to  her,  as  some  of  the  boats  which  passed 
up  and  down  the  Hudson.  It  had  but  one  deck, 
high  up,  so  that  to  reach  it  she  had  to  climb  a  ladder, 
or  gang-plank  almost  as  steep  as  a  roof.  But  she 
climbed  it  with  a  feeling  of  infinite  relief  and  se- 
curity. Sitting  close  to  the  rail  upon  one  of  the 
many  steamer  chairs  she  found  there,  herself  almost 
the  only  passenger  who  had  yet  come  aboard,  she 
leaned  her  weary  head  against  the  rail,  and,  despite 
the  hunger  which  tormented  her,  fell  fast  asleep. 
She  knew  nothing  more ;  heard  none  of  the  busy 
sounds  of  loading  the  luggage,  now  constantly  ar- 
riving, and  was  peacefully  dreaming,  when  a  girlish 
voice  from  the  dock  pierced  through  the  babel  and 
•the  dream: 

"  Why,  Papa  Breckenridge !  There  she  sits  — 
asleep!  That  runaway \  Dorothy  —  Dorothy! 
how  came  you  here  ?  How  dared  you  scare  us  so  ?  " 


56  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

She  sprang  to  her  feet  and  looked  down, 
answering  with  a  rapturous  cry.  There  they  were, 
Molly,  Auntie  Lu  and  the  Judge!  But  —  and  now 
she  rubbed  her  eyes  the  better  to  see  if  they  de- 
ceived her  —  where  was  Isobel  Greatorex. 

Alas !  That  was  the  question  the  others  were  all 
asking : 

"  Where  is  Miss  Greatorex  ?  Only  two  minutes 
to  sailing  —  but  where  is  Miss  Greatorex  ?  " 


CHAPTER  IV 

ON  BOARD  THE  PRINCE 

THERE  wasn't  an  instant  to  waste  in  questions. 
The  captain  of  this  steamship  prided  himself  upon 
his  exceeding  punctuality,  and  had  often  declared 
that  if  he  delayed  for  one  passenger  one  day  he 
would  have  to  do  so  the  next;  that  somebody  was 
always  late ;  that  it  might  be  that  delinquent's  mis- 
fortune if  he  were  left  but  was  not  Captain  Mur- 
ray's fault. 

Knowing  this  fact  Judge  Breckenridge  handed 
his  sister  her  ticket  and  Molly's,  hastily  bade  her : 

"  Go  aboard,  Lucretia,  while  I  claim  our  luggage. 
Miss  Greatorex  may  already  be  there." 

"  Step  lively,  please ! "  requested  a  sailor  in  a 
blue  uniform  as  the  lady  began  to  slowly  mount  the 
almost  upright  ladder.  Other  sailors  were  speed- 
ing up  and  down  it,  between  the  ascending  pas- 
sengers and  an  air  of  great  bustle  and  haste  per- 
vaded the  whole  scene. 

Then  the  blue-coat  gallantly  put  his  hand  under 
Mrs.  Hungerford's  arm  and  fairly  shoved  her  up 
the  plank.  Molly  sprang  lightly  after,  caught  her 

57 


58  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

foot  in  one  of  the  little  cross-pieces  nailed  across, 
the  plank  to  prevent  people  slipping  and  sprawled  ' 
her  length,  hindering  everybody  a  deal  more  than 
if  she  had  climbed  more  slowly. 

However,  they  gained  the  deck  and  Dorothy's 
side  in  safety,  and  took  their  stand  against  the  rail 
to  watch  the  Judge  and  many  another  passenger 
hurriedly  identifying  their  baggage  ranged  under 
the  wharf  shed;  and,  as  each  piece  was  claimed,  to 
see  it  swiftly  tossed  upon  a  skid  and  rolled  into  the 
lower  part  of  the  ship. 

Captain  Murray  stood  at  the  foot  of  the  ladder, 
chronometer  in  hand,  a  picture  of  calm  decision ; 
while  another  uniformed  official  faced  him  from  the 
other  side  the  plank,  to  scan  the  tickets  presented. 
Judge  Breckenridge  finished  his  task  and  also 
climbed  to  the  deck,  while  a  sigh  of  relief  escaped 
Aunt  Lucretia's  lips. 

"  That's  all  right !  I  got  so  worried  lest  we 
should  miss  the  steamer  and  there  isn't  another  sail- 
ing for  three  days.  I'm  so  glad  to  get  our  things ! 
I  never  do  feel  comfortable  until  I  see  my  trunks 
aboard  my  train  or  steamer." 

"  Yes,  indeed !  A  woman  bereft  of  her  '  things  ' 
is  a  forlorn  creature !  "  laughed  the  Judge,  in  gentle 
sarcasm,  but  his  sister  disdained  reply.  She  merely 
reflected  how  much  greater  annoyance  her  brother 
would  have  felt  had  his  sporting  outfit  been  delayed 
and  this  was  the  very  first  piece  of  luggage  he  had 
identified  —  her  trunk  the  last.  However,  there  was 
the  utmost  good  nature  in  their  jesting  intercourse, 


ON  BOARD  THE  PRINCE  59 

and  both  now  turned  their  attention  to  the  wharf 
where  the  "  very  last "  passenger  was  hurrying  to 
the  ladder. 

After  him  ascended  the  two  officers,  and  the  boat 
and  dock  hands  seized  the  ropes  to  haul  the  plank 
aboard.  The  whistle  was  blowing,  wheels  were 
turning,  passengers  crowded  the  rails  to  wave  fare- 
wells to  friends  ashore  who  had  come  to  see  them 
off,  and  at  this  very  last  second  a  cab  came  dashing 
furiously  down  the  street  and  up  to  the  steamer's 
side. 

A  woman  leaped  out,  and  rushed  to  the  spot 
where  the  ship  had  been  moored.  She  was  almost 
past  speaking  from  haste  and  excitement  as  she 
scanned  the  groups  upon  the  deck,  then  with  a  look 
of  satisfaction  at  sight  of  the  Judge's  party,  clasped 
her  hands  imploringly  toward  the  captain  and  the 
mate. 

"  Don't  leave  her,  Captain  Murray !  I  know  her 
—  she  belongs  to  us  —  it  isn't  her  fault  —  throw 
the  ladder  out  again,  even  if  — "  shouted  the  Judge. 

There  was  no  withstanding  the  sight  of  so  many 
clasped,  entreating  hands,  even  by  such  a  rigid 
disciplinarian  as  this  fine  skipper.  For  not  only 
Miss  Greatorex  upon  the  wharf,  but  the  two  girls 
and  Mrs.  Hungerford  had  clasped  theirs,  also,  beg- 
ging a  brief  delay. 

Then  the  officer  waved  his  hand,  down  went  the 
plank  again,  and  a  couple  of  sailors  sprang  forward 
to  the  teacher's  assistance.  They  had  fairly  to  drag 
her  up  the  now  slippery  incline,  and  almost  to  toss 


<5o  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

her  upon  the  deck,  where  the  Judge's  arm  shot  out 
for  her  support  and  the  captain  himself  helped  her 
to  a  chair. 

Another  instant  they  had  put  a  stretch  of  water 
between  them  and  the  land,  and  a  fresh  uproar  of 
whistles  and  bells  announced  that  the  steamer 
"  Prince  "  had  sailed. 

But  those  near  her  had  thought  now  only  for  Miss 
Greatorex.  Her  face  was  at  first  intensely  red  and 
she  leaned  back  in  her  chair,  with  closed  eyes  and 
gasping  breath.  Indeed,  so  difficult  her  breathing 
that  it  seemed  as  if  after  each  respiration  she  would 
never  breathe  again.  Mrs.  Hungerford  made  haste 
to  hold  a  smelling  bottle  to  the  sufferer's  nostrils, 
but  it  was  feebly  waved  aside  as  if  it  hindered  rather 
than  helped. 

Then  the  color  faded  from  the  crimson  face  and 
all  that  terrible  gasping  ceased,  so  that  those  watch- 
ing thought  for  a  moment  that  life  itself  had  ended. 

"  Fainted !  "  said  the  captain,  tersely.  "  Get  her 
to  bed.  Number  Eight,  take  her  ticket  to  the  pur- 
ser, get  her  stateroom  key,  and  send  the  stewardess. 
Prompt,  now." 

Fortunately,  the  room  engaged  for  Miss 
Greatorex  and  Dorothy  was  on  that  deck  and  very 
near ;  and  thither  the  dignified  lady  was  quickly  con- 
veyed, very  much  as  a  sack  of  corn  might  have 
been.  But  as  for  Dorothy's  thoughts  during  this 
brief  transit  there  is  nothing  comforting  to  say. 

"  Oh,  I've  killed  her,  I've  killed  her !  If  I  hadn't 
been  so  careless  and  left  the  purses,  and  if  I  hadn't 


ON  BOARD  THE  PRINCE  6l 

chased  that  '  shiny  man '  and  made  all  this  trouble, 
she  wouldn't  have  —  I  can't  bear  it.  What  shall  I 
do !  "  she  wailed  to  Molly,  as  they  followed  hand 
in  hand,  where  Miss  Greatorex  was  carried. 

"  You  can  stop  saying  '  if '  and  worrying  so. 
You  didn't  do  anything  on  purpose  and  she's  to 
blame  herself.  If  she  hadn't  gone  off  mad  from  the 
hotel  and  left  Auntie  and  me,  maybe  she  wouldn't 
have  run  too  hard  and  hurt  herself.  If  —  if  — 
if!  It  isn't  a  very  happy  beginning  of  a  vacation  is 
it?  Even  though  we  have  got  Papa  and  Auntie 
Lu  and  everything.  And  I  don't  know  yet  what 
you  did  after  you  ran  away  from  the  boat.  We 
can't  do  a  thing  here  to  help.  Let's  go  to  Papa, 
there  and  you  tell  us  the  whole  story.  He  took  a 
lot  of  trouble  to  find  you  and  paid  a  lot  of  money 
to  men  to  seek  you,  and  he  looks  awful  tired  and  — 
and  disgusted.  I  guess  he  wishes  he'd  just  brought 
Auntie  and  me  and  not  bothered  himself  with  you 
and  Miss  Greatorex.  And  that's  my  fault,  too. 
If  I  hadn't  asked  him  to  do  it  he  would  never  have 
thought  of  it.  Seems  if  things  never  do  go  just 
as  you  plan  them,  do  they  ?  " 

Under  other  circumstances  Dorothy  might  have 
replied  to  her  friend's  unflattering  frankness  by 
some  reproaches  of  her  own,  but  not  now.  She 
realized  the  truth  but  was  too  humble  to  resent  it. 
So  she  merely  glanced  once  more  through  the  door 
of  the  little  stateroom  at  Miss  Greatorex  stretched 
upon  the  bed  and  Mrs.  Hungerford  with  the  stew- 
ardess attending  her,  and  followed  Molly. 


62  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

The  Judge  met  them  with  an  encouraging  smile 
and  the  command : 

"  Shorten  up  your  countenances,  little  maids ! 
This  is  a  holiday,  did  you  know?  Folks  don't  go 
holiday-ing  with  faces  as  long  as  your  arm.  Here, 
cuddle  down  beside  me  and  watch  the  sights.  Tell 
me  too,  Miss  Dorothy,  all  that  befell  you  after  you 
disappeared.  I'm  as  curious  as  Molly  is,  and  she's 
'  just  suffering '  to  know.  Don't  worry  about  Miss 
Greatorex,  either.  She's  simply  over-exerted  her- 
self and  allowed  herself  to  get  too  anxious  about 
this  one  small  girl.  The  idea!  What's  one  small 
girl  more  or  less,  when  the  world's  chock  full  of 
them?" 

But  the  affectionate  squeeze  he  gave  to  the 
"  girl's "  shoulders  as  she  sat  down  beside  him, 
while  Molly  sat  herself  upon  his  knee,  told  her  that 
he  had  already  forgiven  any  annoyance  she  had 
caused  him.  He  was  too  warm  hearted  to  hold  a 
grudge  against  anybody ;  least  of  all  against  as  peni- 
tent a  child  as  Dorothy. 

She  related  her  adventures  and  the  Judge  laughed 
heartily  over  her  mimicry  of  Larry  McCarthy,  the 
"  new  policeman."  Nor  did  he  make  any  criticisms 
when  the  story  was  ended.  She  had  been  suf- 
ficiently punished,  he  considered,  for  any  lapses 
from  prudence  and  the  lessons  her  experience  had 
taught  would  be  far  more  valuable  than  any  word 
of  his.  So  he  merely  called  their  attention  to  the 
scenery  before  them. 

"  This  beautiful,  green  spot  that  we  are  passing, 


ON  BOARD  THE  PRINCE  63 

is  Blackwell's  Island,  where  the  city's  criminals  and 
other  unfortunates  are  sent.  Doesn't  seem  as  if 
wicked  people  could  be  hidden  behind  those  walls, 
does  it?  Well  keep  out  of  mischief  and  don't  go 
there ! 

"  Soon  we'll  be  going  up  Long  Island  Sound,  and 
you'll  get  a  glimpse  of  some  handsome  homes. 
Hello!  What's  this?  My  little  bugler,  as  I  live! 
Good  day  to  you,  Melvin;  and  what  is  this  present 
'  toot '  for,  if  you  please  ?  " 

A  fair-faced  boy  came  rather  shyly  forward  and 
accepted  the  hearty  hand  grasp  which  the  Judge  ex- 
tended, but  he  seemed  to  shrink  from  the  keen  ob- 
servation of  the  two  girls ;  though  a  flush  of  pleasure 
dyed  his  smooth  cheeks,  which  were  as  pink-and- 
white  as  blond  Molly's  own. 

"  My  respects,  Judge  Breckenridge,  and  glad  to 
see  you  aboard  again,  sir.  To  get  your  table  seats, 
sir,  if  you'll  remember." 

"  Thank  you,  lad,  and  good  enough !  Come  on, 
lassies,  let's  go  down  and  scramble  for  best  places 
and  first  table,  when  eating  time  comes." 

All  over  the  deck  people  were  beginning  to  rise 
and  make  their  way  toward  a  further  door,  from 
which  a  flight  of  stairs  descended  to  the  dining- 
room,  and  these  three  followed  the  crowd.  The 
very  mention  of  "  eating "  had  brought  back  to 
Dorothy  a  sensation  of  terrible  hunger.  She  had 
eaten  nothing  since  her  breakfast  at  the  Academy, 
and  her  sail  had  sharpened  her  appetite  beyond  or- 
dinary. During  her  late  experiences  in  the  city 


64  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

and  her  terror  concerning  Miss  Greatorex  she  had 
forgotten  this  matter,  but  now  it  came  back  with  a 
positive  pang.  Suddenly  Molly,  too,  remembered 
the  fact  and  exclaimed: 

"  Why,  you  poor  girlie !  Talk  about  eating  — 
you  can't  have  had  a  bit  of  dinner !  Papa,  Dorothy 
hasn't  had  her  dinner  this  livelong  day ! " 

Her  tone  was  so  tragic  that  people  behind  her 
smiled,  as  her  abrupt  pause  upon  the  stairs  arrested 
their  own  progress,  and  she  was  promptly  urged 
forward  again  by  her  father's  hand. 

"  Heigho !  That's  a  calamity  —  nothing  less ! 
But  one  that  can  be  conquered,  let  us  hope.  Now, 
fall  into  line  close  behind  me  and  watch  this  inter- 
esting proceeding." 

From  the  earnestness  depicted  upon  the  counte- 
nances of  the  passengers,  this  securing  of  good  seats 
at  the  first  table,  in  a  room  which  would  not  allow 
the  serving  of  all  at  one  time,  was  a  vital  matter. 
The  purser  stood  at  the  entrance  of  the  saloon  and 
assigned  a  seat  to  each  person  upon  the  examina- 
tion of  a  ticket  presented.  His  office  was  not  a 
pleasant  one.  There  were  the  usual  grumblers  and 
malcontents,  but  he  preserved  his  good  nature  amid 
all  the  fault-finding  and  selfishness;  and  the  Judge 
had  the  good  fortune  to  secure  five  places  at  the 
Captain's  table,  which  was  significant  of  "  first  call 
to  meals." 

This  accomplished  he  led  his  charges  out  of  line, 
carefully  deposited  his  "  meal  tickets  "  in  an  inner- 
most pocket,  and  crossed  an  ante-room  to  where 


ON  BOARD  THE  PRINCE  65 

there  were  plates  of  ship's  biscuits  and  slices  of 
cheese. 

"  Take  all  you  want,  all  you  can  eat,  both  of  you 
youngsters.  Sorry  to  say  no  regular  meal  will 
be  served,  not  even  for  Dorothy's  benefit,  till  the 
six  o'clock  dinner.  Unless  she  choses  to  get  sea- 
sick; when  she  would  have  tea  and  toast  sent  to 
her  and  wouldn't  be  able  to  touch  it!  Enough? 
Take  plenty.  There's  no  stinting  on  Captain  Mur- 
ray's good  ship  though  a  lot  of  cast-iron  rules  that 
one  must  never  break.  Hark!  There's  Melvin's 
toot  again !  There  must  be  a  great  crowd  on  board, 
if  all  haven't  come  to  get  their  seats  here  yet.  Now 
we'll  interview  our  women  folk  and  see  how  they're 
faring." 

Munching  their  crackers  and  cheese  the  girls  hur- 
ried to  "  Number  Thirteen,"  the  only  stateroom  on 
the  promenade  deck  which  Miss  Rhinelander  had 
been  able  to  secure  for  her  cousin  Isobel  and  Dor- 
othy ;  and  though  she  had  held  her  peace  concerning 
it  Miss  Greatorex  had  inwardly  revolted  against 
this  "  unlucky  'l  number. 

But  it  was  in  fact  among  the  very  best  on  that 
small  steamship.  It's  door  opening  directly  upon 
the  deck  so  that  after  retiring  one  could  lie  and 
watch  the  stars  and  breathe  the  pure  air  of  the  sea. 
Also,  her  short  sojourn  in  it  was  to  do  her  much 
good  physically.  Even  now,  when  Molly  and 
Dorothy  peeped  in  they  saw  her  sitting  upright, 
drinking  a  cup  of  tea  and  chatting  with  the  stew- 
ardess as  calmly  as  usual. 


66  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

At  sight  of  Dorothy,  however,  she  promptly  dis- 
missed the  attendant  and  bade  the  girl  enter  and 
explain  everything  that  had  happened  after  her 
disappearance  from  the  "  Mary  Powell." 

Molly  made  a  grimace,  and  Dolly  sighed.  Repe- 
tition of  unpleasant  things  made  them  doubly  dis- 
agreeable, and  she  now  longed  to  enter  into  the 
Judge's  spirit  and  feel  that  this  was  happy  holiday. 
She  cut  the  tale  as  short  as  she  could;  listened 
meekly  to  Miss  Isobel's  reproofs ;  waited  upon  that 
fidgetty  person  with  admirable  patience;  and  with 
equal  patience  received  all  the  many  instructions  as 
to  "  suitable  conduct "  during  their  whole  journey. 
When  the  final  word  had  been  said,  and  she  had 
been  told  that  no  other  "  allowance  "  could  be  hers 
until  "  advices  "  had  been  received  from  Miss  Rhine- 
lander,  and  that  she  must  report  every  cent  ex- 
panded, she  ventured  to  cut  the  "  lecture "  also 
short,  by  kneeling  in  the  little  aisle  between  their 
berths  and  kissing  her  guardian's  hand  with  the 
petition : 

"  Please  forgive  me,  dear  Miss  Greatorex,  for  all 
the  worry  I  gave  you.  I  will  be  good.  I  will  be 
'prudent/  I  will  remember  —  everything  —  if  only 
you'll  say  you'll  love  me  just  the  same  again !  " 

Miss  Isobel  was  touched.  In  her  heart  she  was 
very  fond  of  Dorothy  and  grateful  to  her,  on  ac- 
count of  her  bravery  that  night  of  the  fire.  But 
she  felt  it  beneath  her  dignity  to  show  this  fond- 
ness openly,  and  answered  more  coldly  than  she 
felt: 


ON  BOARD  THE  PRINCE  67 

"  Certainly,  it  would  be  unworthy  in  me  to  harbor 
ill  will  against  anybody.  But  I  trust  you  will  give 
me  no  further  annoyance.  Rise,  please;  and  there 
is  Molly.  Thank  you,  Miss  Breckenridge,  I  am 
much  better.  It  was  but  a  momentary  weakness  to 
which  I  yielded.  Please  make  my  regards  to  your 
father  for  his  courteous  messages  of  regret.  Yes, 
Dorothy,  you  may  go  with  your  friend  for  a  walk 
on  the  deck.  I  will  join  you  very  soon." 

"  Hope  she  won't,  mean  old  thing ! "  grumbled 
Molly,  under  her  breath.  "  She's  one  of  the  plans 
that  didn't  go  right.  Instead  of  darling  Miss 
Penelope  with  her  sweet  mother-ways  to  have  the 
'  Grater '  forced  on  us  this  way  is  too  bad.  I  know 
Papa  and  Auntie  Lu  aren't  pleased  with  her  either, 
though  they're  too  polite  to  say  so." 

"  O,  Molly,  don't !  I  was  bad,  I  can't  deny  it 
and  I  deserve  to  have  her  stiff  and  cross  with  me. 
I  don't  believe  she's  half  so  vexed  as  she  seems  but 
she  doesn't  think  it's  '  proper '  to  let  me  know  how 
thankful  she  is  I  wasn't  really  lost.  Folks  can't 
help  being  themselves,  anyway;  else  I'd  be  a  per- 
fectly angelic  sort  of  a  girl,  and  be  it  quick !  Hark ! 
Those  bells ! " 

"  Yes,  honey,  let  me  tell  you !  Papa  just  told 
me.  That's  four  o'clock,  'eight  bells/  In  half 
an  hour  it'll  strike  once.  At  five  will  strike  twice. 
Every  half  hour  one  more  stroke  till  at  the  end  of 
four  hours  it'll  be  eight  bells  again.  That's  the 
beginning  and  the  end  of  a  '  watch.'  A  '  watch  '  is 
four  hours  long  and  the  sailors  change  off  then, 


68  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

one  lot  comes  from  '  duty  '  and  another  lot  '  stand  ' 
theirs.  Isn't  it  odd  and  interesting?  Oh!  I  think 
being  on  shipboard  is  just  too  lovely  for  words! 
And  aren't  we  going  to  have  a  glorious  time  after 
all?" 

*  "Oh!  Molly,  I  hope  so.  Course  I  think  it's 
splendidly  interesting,  too,  if  I  could  get  over  feel- 
ing so  ashamed  of  myself  and  my  foolishness.  I 
don't  like  to  go  near  your  father  for  he  must  think 
I  have  been  horrid.  I  don't  know  how  I  can  ever 
pay  him  back  the  money  he  spent  hiring  folks  to 
hunt  for  me,  and  the  trouble  I  gave  him  —  oh !  dear ! 
Why  didn't  I  let  that  old  '  shiny  man '  go  and  not 
try  to  follow  him !  " 

"  Give  it  up  Dolly  Doodles.  Reckon  you  hap- 
pened to  value  that  five  dollars  more  than  you  did 
us,  just  about  then.  And  you  might  as  well  have 
'  let  him  go '  since  he  went  anyhow  and  our  precious 
purses  with  him.  Now,  honey,  you  quit.  Don't 
you  say  another  single  word  of  what  has  happened 
but  let's  just  think  of  all  the  nice  things  that  are 
going  to  happen.  Ah !  Hold  up  your  head,  put  on 
all  your  '  style,'  make  yourself  as  pretty  as  you  can, 
for  here  comes  that  adorable  young  bugler  and  he's 
perfectly  enchanting!  Oh!  I  do  so  love  boys! 
Don't  you?" 

"  Molly  Breckenridge,  stop  making  me  giggle. 
He'll  think  we're  laughing  at  him  and  I  don't  like 
to  hurt  anybody's  feelings." 

"  My  dear  innocent !  You  couldn't  hurt  his. 
Why,  Papa  says  that  all  the  passengers  try  to  make 


ON  BOARD  THE  PRINCE  69 

a  pet  of  that  sweet  youth,  so  he  knows  he's  all  right 
no  matter  who  laughs.  The  trouble  is  he'll  never 
speak  to  anybody  if  he  can  help  it  and  unless  it 
happens  to  be  his  duty.  Sailors  are  great  for 
'  duty,'  you  know.  But  did  you  ever  see  such  funny 
clothes?" 

The  girls  continued  their  walk  around  the  deck, 
the  bugler  passed  them  by,  unseeing  —  apparently; 
and  quoth  mischievous  Molly: 

"  I'm  going  to  get  acquainted  with  that  Melvin 
before  we  leave  this  ship,  see  if  I  don't !  I  believe 
he  has  a  lot  of  fun  in  him,  if  he  wasn't  afraid  of  his 
'  duty.'  Papa  said  he  was  the  only  son  of  his 
mother  and  their  home  is  at  Yarmouth.  Papa  met 
her  last  summer  when  he  stopped  there  for  a  few 
weeks'  fishing.  I'll  make  him  understand  I'm  my 
father's  daughter ;  you  see !  " 

"  Molly  Breckenridge,  you'll  do  nothing  to  dis- 
grace that  father,  understand  me  too.  Here  comes 
'  Number  Eight'  Isn't  he  funny  ?  " 

To  their  unaccustomed  eyes  the  sailor's  clothing 
did  look  odd.  The  Judge  had  explained  to  Molly 
that  these  "  numbered "  officials  were  recognized 
by  their  numbers  only.  That  they  acted  in  various 
capacities;  as  table-waiters,  and  especially  as 
"  chamber  maids."  Each  "  number  "  had  his  own 
section  of  staterooms  to  attend,  each  one  his  especial 
table  to  serve  in  the  dining  saloon. 

In  a  natural  reaction  from  their  anxiety  of  the 
earlier  day  the  spirits  of  both  girls  had  risen  propor- 
tionately. They  were  ready  to  see  humor  in  every- 


TO  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

thing  and  poor  Number  Eight  came  in  for  his  share 
of  absurd  comment,  when  he  had  passed  out  of 
hearing. 

"  He's  such  a  big,  red-faced,  red-haired  man,  and 
his  jacket  is  so  little.  Looks  as  if  his  arms  and 
shoulders  had  just  been  squeezed  into  it  by  some 
machine.  Did  you  notice  his  monstrous  trousers? 
Enough  in  them  to  piece  out  the  jacket,  I  should 
think,  and  never  be  missed.  All  these  Numbers 
are  dressed  alike ;  little  bit  o'  coaties,  divided  skirts 
for  panties,  and  such  dudish  little  caps!  Who 
wouldn't  be  a  sailor  on  the  bright  blue  sea,  if  he 
could  wear  clothes  cut  that  fashion  ?  '  A  life  on  the 
ocean  wave,'  "  she  quoted.  "  '  A  home  on  the  roll- 
ing deep  — ' " 

" '  Where  the  scattered  waters  rave.  And  the 
winds  their  revels  keep.  The  wi-i-inds  their 
r-r-r-ev-el-s-s  k-e-e-e-ep !  '  A  rich  voice  had 
caught  the  burden  of  Molly'  song  and  finished  it 
with  an  absurd  flourish. 

"  Now,  Papa !  "  cried  the  girl,  facing  suddenly 
about.  So  suddenly,  indeed,  that  she  collided  with 
an  unseen  somebody,  slipped  on  the  freshly  washed 
boards,  and  fell  at  her  victim's  feet.  A  bugle  shot 
out  from  under  his  arm  and  banged  against  the 
deck-rail ;  but  before  he  recovered  that  Melvin  had 
stooped,  said  "  Allow  me !  "  and  helped  Molly  up 
again.  Then  he  lifted  his  cap,  picked  up  his  bugle, 
and  proceeded  on  his  way  without  so  much  as  an- 
other word. 

Molly  stared  after  him,  blushing  and  mortified, 


OAT  BOARD  THE  PRINCE  71 

shaking  her   tiny   fist   toward   his   blue-uniformed 
back,  and  remarking: 

"  Huh !  Master  Melvin !  I'd  just  declared  I'd 
get  acquainted  with  you  but  I  didn't  mean  to  do  it 
in  quite  that  way !  " 

Maybe,  too,  her  chagrin  would  have  been  deeper 
could  she  have  seen  the  amused  expression  of  the 
young  bugler's  face;  and  again  she  observed  — 
to  Dorothy  as  she  supposed: 

"  Anyhow,  if  you'd  been  a  gentleman,  a  real  gen- 
tleman-boy, you'd  have  stopped  to  ask  if  I  was 
hurt.  Huh !  you're  terribly  '  sot  up  '  and  top-lofty, 
just  because  you  wear  a  uniform  and  toot-ti-ti-toot 
on  little  tin-horn  kind  of  a  thing  that  I  could  play 
myself,  if  I  wanted  to.  Don't  you  think  so,  Papa 
and  Dolly?  Wasn't  it  horrid  of  him  to  trip  me  up 
that  way  and  make  me  look  so  silly?  Why  don't 
you  answer,  one  of  you  ?  " 

She  turned  the  better  to  see  "  why,"  and  found 
herself  gazing  into  the  stern  countenance  of  Cap- 
tain Murray.  That  strict  gentleman  had  recently 
been  annoyed  by  the  "  skylarking  "  of  girlish  pas- 
sengers who  had  tried  "flirting  "  with  his  "  boys  " 
and  was  bent  upon  preventing  any  further  annoy- 
ance of  that  sort. 

"  Your  father  has  gone  forward  to  meet  your  ail- 
ing friend  and  the  little  girl  is  with  him.  I  would 
advise  you  to  join  them." 

That  was  all  the  reproof  he  administered,  but  it 
was  sufficient  to  make  Molly  Breckenridge  flush 
scarlet  again,  and  this  time  with  anger  against  the 


72  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

skipper.  She  hurried  to  "  join "  the  others  who 
had  met  Miss  Greatorex  and  exclaimed  with  great 
heat : 

"I  just  detest  that  horrid  stiff  Captain!  He 
looked  —  he  believed  I  tumbled  against  that 
precious  bugler  of  his  just  on  purpose!  I  wish  I 
need  never  see  either  one  of  them  again  or  hear 
that  wretched  thing  toot !  " 

She  could  not  then  foresee  how  important  a  part 
in  her  own  life  that  "  toot "  was  yet  to  play ;  nor 
was  the  laughter  with  which  her  outburst  was  re- 
ceived very  comforting. 


CHAPTER  V 

MOONLIGHT   AND   MIST  ON  THE  SEA 

HOWEVER  and  despite  her  declaration  to  the  con- 
trary it  was  a  most  welcome  "  toot  "  which  sounded 
along  the  deck  and  announced  to  the  hungry  voy- 
agers that  dinner  was  served ;  and  Molly  was  among 
the  first  to  spring  up  and  hurry  her  father  table- 
ward. 

"  Seems  as  if  I'd  never  had  anything  to  eat  in  all 
my  life ! "  she  exclaimed.  "  Come  on,  Dolly 
Doodles,  you  must  be  actually  famished/' 

"  I  am  pretty  hungry,"  admitted  Dorothy ;  but 
mindful  now  of  her  recent  resolve  to  do  everything 
as  Miss  Greatorex  would  have  her,  she  waited  until 
that  lady  rose  from  her  steamer  chair,  gathered  her 
wraps  about  her,  and  anxiously  inquired  of  Mrs. 
Hungerford : 

"  Will  it  be  safe  to  leave  my  rug  behind  ?  or 
should  I  carry  it  with  me  to  table  ?  " 

"  Oh !  leave  it,  by  all  means.  There's  none  too 
much  room  below  and  I  never  worry  about  my 
things.  Lay  it  on  your  chair  and  that  will  prove  to 
anybody  who  comes  along  that  your  especial  seat 

73 


74  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

is  *  reserved.'  I'm  leaving  mine,  you  see ; " 
answered  the  more  experienced  traveler,  wonder- 
ing if  Miss  Isobel's  nervousness  would  not  prove  a 
most  unpleasant  factor  in  their  vacation  fun.  Also 
thinking  that  she  had  too  readily  given  consent  to 
Molly's  written  plea:  that  Dorothy  and  a  teacher 
should  be  invited  to  join  them  on  this  trip. 

Because  there  had  been  some  question  as  to 
where  the  girl  should  pass  the  long  vacation.  Deer- 
hurst  would  not  be  open,  even  if  Mrs.  Calvert  had 
expressed  any  desire  for  a  visit  from  Dorothy, 
which  she  had  not.  The  old  gentlewoman  was  to 
spend  that  season  at  the  White  Sulphur  Springs, 
whither  she  had  been  in  the  habit  of  going  during 
many  years ;  and  where  among  other  old  aristocrats 
she  queened  it  at  their  own  exclusive  hotel. 

The  mountain  cottage  would,  of  course,  be  in  the 
hands  of  the  Martin  family,  and  Mother  Martha 
had  not  approved  Dorothy's  coming  to  Baltimore 
and  passing  the  heated  term  there  with  herself. 
Indeed,  deep  in  the  little  woman's  heart  was  a  re- 
sentment against  the  unknown  benefactor  who  was 
now  supporting  her  adopted  child  and  sending  her 
to  such  an  expensive  school.  As  she  complained  to 
the  aged  relative  with  whom  she  now  lived : 

"  I  feel,  Aunt  Chloe,  that  I've  been  meanly 
treated.  I've  had  all  the  care  of  Dorothy  through 
her  growing  up  and  having  the  measles,  scarlet 
fever,  whooping  cough,  and  all  the  other  children's 
diseases.  I've  sewed  for  her,  and  washed  and  ironed 
for  her,  and  taught  her  all  the  useful  things  she 


75 

knows;  yet  now,  just  as  she  is  big  enough  to  be 
some  company  and  comfort  —  off  she's  snatched 
and  I  not  even  told  by  whom.  I  doubt  if  John 
knows,  either,  though  he  won't  say  one  way  or 
other,  except  that  '  it's  all  right  and  he  knows  it.' 
So  I  say  I  shan't  worry;  and  I  wouldn't  think  it 
right,  anyway,  for  her  to  come  down  south  if  only 
this  far  after  being  north  for  so  long." 

Seth  Winters  had  not  come  back  to  his  beloved 
mountain,  so  that  she  could  not  go  to  him;  and  the 
only  thing  that  was  left  was  to  go  to  her  father  at 
his  Sanitorium  or  remain  with  Miss  Rhinelander. 

Neither  of  these  plans  was  satisfactory.  Father 
John  did  not  want  her  to  pass  her  holidays  in  an 
atmosphere  of  illness;  and  Miss  Rhinelander 
craved  freedom  and  rest  for  herself.  There  were 
still  extensive  repairs  to  be  made  to  the  Academy 
and  she  wished  to  superintend  them. 

Finally,  Molly  Breckenridge  had  taken  the  mat- 
ter in  hand  with  the  result  related ;  and  with  the 
one  unlocked  for  feature,  the  presence  of  Miss 
Greatorex  where  Miss  Penelope  had  been  desired. 

However,  here  they  all  were  at  last ;  a  few  hours 
outward  bound  on  their  short  ocean  trip  and  look- 
ing forward  to  the  most  enjoyable  of  summers  in 
lovely  Nova  Scotia.  They  were  to  make  a  com- 
plete tour  of  the  Province,  then  settle  down  in 
some  quiet  place  near  the  fishing  and  hunting 
grounds  where  the  Judge  would  go  into  camp. 

Molly  was  thankful  that  her  table-seat  was  well 
removed  from  that  of  Captain  Murray  at  its  head. 


76  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

But  she  soon  found  that  she  need  not  have  worried, 
and  that  the  closer  she  could  be  to  him  —  when  he 
was  off  duty  —  the  better  she  would  like  it.  This 
wasn't  the  austere  officer  in  command !  who  told  such 
amusing  tales  of  life  at  sea,  who  kept  his  guests  so 
interested  and  absorbed,  and  who  so  solicitously 
watched  his  waiters  lest  anybody's  wants  should  be 
unsupplied!  No,  indeed.  He  was  simply  a  most 
courteous  host  and  delightful  talker,  and  before  that 
first  meal  was  over  she  had  forgotten  her  dislike 
of  him,  and,  after  her  impulsive  manner  had  "  fallen 
in  love"  with  him. 

Then  back  to  the  deck,  to  watch  the  moon  rise 
and  to  settle  themselves  comfortably  for  a 
long  and  happy  evening;  and  after  awhile,  begged 
Molly: 

"  Now,  Papa  darling,  if  your  dinner's  '  settled,' 
please  to  sing.  Remember  I  haven't  heard  you 
do  so  in  almost  a  year." 

"  Now,  my  love,  you  don't  expect  me  to  make  an 
orchestra  of  myself,  I  hope?  I  notice  they  haven't 
one  aboard  this  little  steamship.  Nobody  but  Mel- 
vin  to  make  music  for  us.  I  must  tell  you  girls 
about  that  lad.  He  — " 

"  Never  mind  him  now,  Papa.  He  will  keep. 
He  can  wait  But  I  do  want  you  to  sing! 
Dorothy,  go  take  that  chair  on  Papa's  other  side; 
and  here  comes  Number  Eight  with  more  rugs. 
Wouldn't  think  it  could  be  so  cool,  almost  cold, 
would  you,  after  that  dreadful  heat  back  there  in 
New  York  ?  Now,  sir,  begin !  "  and  the  Judge's 


MOONLIGHJ  AND  MIST  ON  THE  SEA        77 

adoring  "  domestic  tyrant "  patted  his  hand  with 
great  impatience. 

"  Very  well,  Miss  Tease.  Only  it  must  be  softly, 
so  as  not  to  disturb  other  people  who  may  not  have 
as  great  fancy  for  my  warbling  as  you  have." 

Mrs.  Hungerford  leaned  back  in  her  chair  and 
closed  her  eyes  in  great  content.  Like  his  daugh- 
ter she  thought  there  was  no  sweeter  singer  any- 
where than  her  beloved  brother ;  but  the  too-correct 
Miss  Isobel  drew  herself  stiffly  erect  with  an 
unspoken  protest  against  this  odd  proceeding.  She 
was  quite  sure  that  it  wasn't  good  form  for  any- 
body to  sing  in  such  a  public  place  and  under  such 
circumstances.  Least  of  all  a  Judge.  A  Judge 
of  the  Supreme  Court!  More  than  ever  was  she 
amazed  when  he  began  with  a  college  song :  "  My 
Bonnie  Lies  Over  the  Ocean,"  in  which  Molly 
presently  joined  and,  after  a  moment,  Dorothy  also. 

But  even  her  primness  could  not  withstand  the 
witchery  of  the  gentleman's  superb  tenor  voice,  with 
its  high  culture  and  feeling;  because  even  into  that 
humdrum  refrain  he  put  a  pathos  and  longing  which 
quite  transformed  it. 

People  sitting  within  hearing  hitched  their  chairs 
nearer,  but  softly  —  not  to  disturb  the  singers ;  who 
sang  on  quietly,  unconsciously,  as  if  in  their  own 
private  home.  Drifting  from  one  song  to  another, 
with  little  pauses  between  and  always  beginning  by 
a  suggestive  note  from  Molly,  the  time  passed  un- 
perceived. 

Evidently,   father  and  child  had  thus   sung  to- 


78  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

gether  during  all  their  lives;  and  long  before  her 
that  "  other  Molly,"  her  dead  mother,  of  whom  his 
child  was  the  very  counterpart,  had  also  joined  her 
exquisite  tones  to  his.  Into  marly  melodies  they 
passed,  college  songs  left  behind,  and  deeper  feel- 
ings stirred  by  the  words  they  uttered;  till  finally 
perceiving  that  his  own  mood  was  growing  most 
un-holiday  like,  the  Judge  suddenly  burst  forth  with 
"  John  Brown's  Body." 

Then,  indeed,  did  mirth  and  jollification  begin. 
Far  and  near,  all  sorts  and  conditions  of  voices 
caught  up  the  old  melody  and  added  their  quota  to 
the  music;  and  when  their  leader  began  mis- 
chievously to  alter  the  refrain  by  dropping  the  last 
word,  and  shortening  it  each  time  by  one  word 
less,  delight  was  general  and  the  fun  waxed  fast 
and  furious. 

The  abrupt  termination  left  many  a  singer  in  the 
lurch ;  and  when  the  last  verse  was  sung  and  ended 
only  with  "John—,"  "John—,"  "John,"  there 
were  still  some  who  wandered  on  into  "  the  grave  " 
and  had  to  join  in  the  laugh  their  want  of  observa- 
tion had  brought  upon  them. 

By  this  time  also  Miss  Isobel  Greatorex  had  be- 
come quite  resigned  to  a  proceeding  which  no  other 
passenger  had  disapproved  and  which,  she  could  but 
confess,  had  added  a  charm  to  that  never-to-be-for- 
gotten evening.  Moonlight  flooded  the  sea  and  the 
deck.  The  simplicity  and  good-fellowship  of  Judge 
Breckenridge  and  his  sister  had  brought  all  these 
strangers  into  a  harmony  which  bridged  all  dis- 


MOONLIGHT  AND  MIST  ON  THE  SEA        79 

tinctions  of  class  or  interest  and  rendered  that  first 
night  afloat  a  most  happy  one  for  all. 

Until  —  was  the  moonlight  growing  clouded? 
Did  those  six  strokes  of  the  bell  actually  mean 
eleven  o'clock  ?  So  late  —  and  suddenly  so  —  so  — 
so  queer  \ 

Even  if  the  little  concert  had  not  already  ended 
nobody  could  have  sung  just  then. 

"  I  guess  we've  left  the  Sound  and  struck  the 
ocean ; "  remarked  one  gentleman,  in  a  peculiar 
tone.  "  Good  night  all,"  and  he  disappeared. 

A  lady  next  Miss  Greatorex  made  an  effort  to 
extricate  herself  from  her  rugs  and  chair  and  ob- 
served : 

"  I've  such  a  curious  feeling.  So  —  so  dizzy. 
My  head  swims.  Is  —  is  there  a  different  —  mo- 
tion to  the  boat  ?  Have  you  noticed  ?  " 

Yes,  Miss  Greatorex  had  noticed,  but  she 
couldn't  reply  just  then.  Nor  was  this  because  of 
her  "  stiffness  "  toward  a  person  who  had  not  been 
properly  "  introduced."  It  was  simply  that  — 
that  —  dear,  dear !  She  felt  so  very  queer  herself. 
She  would  try  and  get  to  her  stateroom.  In 
any  case  it  was  very  late  and  everybody  was  mov- 
ing. 

A  petulant  cry  from  Molly  expressed  her  own 
desires  exactly. 

"  Papa,  dear  Papa !  What  makes  the  folks  go 
wobbling  around  the  way  they  do?  I  wish  they 
wouldn't!  I  wish  they  would  —  would  keep  real 
—  perfectly  —  still!  I  wish!  Oh!  dear!" 


80  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

The  Judge  rose  at  once  and,  despite  her  size, 
caught  up  his  daughter  and  marched  off  with  her 
toward  Mrs.  Hungerford's  stateroom,  whither  that 
experienced  voyager  had  as  suddenly  preceded  him. 
When  he  came  back,  a  few  minutes  later,  he  found 
that  Miss  Greatorex  had  vanished,  and  that  Dorothy 
sat  alone  on  the  deserted  deck  wondering  what  in 
the  world  was  the  matter  to  make  everybody  rush 
off  at  once,  or  almost  everybody.  Wondering 
whether  she  should  follow,  and  if  her  guardian 
would  return  and  need  her  rugs  again ;  yet  placidly 
thinking  over  the  delightful  evening  she  had  spent 
and  how  strange  it  was  for  her,  "  just  plain 
Dorothy,"  to  be  having  such  a  splendid  trip  in  such 
charming  company. 

"  Well,  lassie,  are  you  all  right?  Don't  you  feel 
a  *  little  queer,'  too  ?  " 

"  Yes,  thank  you,  Judge  Breckenridge.  I'm  right 
enough  but  I  don't  know  whether  Miss  Greatorex 
wants  me  to  come  to  our  room  now  or  whether 
she'll  need  her  things  again.  She  went  away  in  a 
great  hurry,  seems  if ;  and  so  —  so  did  'most  every- 
body else.  Funny  for  them  all  to  get  sleepy  just  in 
a  minute  so." 

The  old  traveler  laughed  and  patted  Dorothy's 
shoulder. 

"  A  '  fog  swell '  is  what  we've  struck.  That  ex- 
plains the  darkness  and  the  hasty  departure  of  our 
neighbors.  Seasick,  poor  creatures !  and  no  suffer- 
ing worse,  while  it  lasts.  Sure  you  aren't  yourself. 
Dorothy?" 


MOONLIGHT  AND  MIST  ON  THE  SEA       81 

"  No.  I  don't  feel  any  cui'ferent  from  ever,  yet, 
Judge  Breckenridge." 

"  Good  enough.  I'm  mighty  glad  for  you.  Poor 
little  Moll  will  be  apt  to  have  a  sorry  time  of  it  un- 
til we  reach  Yarmouth  and  land.  By  the  way, 
lassie,  I  observe  that  you've  been  well  trained  to 
give  a  person  their  name  and  title  when  you  speak 
to  them.  But  we're  on  our  holiday  now,  you  know, 
and  mustn't  work  more  than  we  can  help.  So,  my 
dear,  suppose  you  call  me  Uncle  Schuy,  or  simply 
Uncle,  while  we  are  together.  'Judge  Brecken- 
ridge '  is  considerable  of  a  mouthful  for  a  small 
maid  who,  I  hope,  will  have  to  address  me  a  great 
many  times.  I  shall  find  it  pleasant  to  be  *  Uncled  ' 
for  I  greatly  miss  our  boy,  Tom." 

He  did  not  add,  as  he  might,  that  some  pity 
mingled  in  this  desire.  Coming  unobserved  upon 
the  little  figure  sitting  alone  in  the  steamer-chair, 
amid  a  pile  of  rugs  which  almost  hid  her  from 
sight,  deserted,  and  possibly  also  in  the  throes  of 
illness,  he  had  resolved  to  make  her  time  with  him 
and  his  as  happy  as  he  could.  He  would  have 
done  this  under  any  circumstances;  but  Molly's 
fervid  description  of  Dorothy's  orphanage  and 
ignorance  of  her  real  parentage  had  touched  him 
profoundly. 

Loving  his  own  little  daughter  beyond  all  others 
in  the  world  he  loved  this  deserted  child  for  Molly's 
sake ;  and  felt  that  he  should  promptly  love  her  for 
her  own. 

Sitting  down  again  beside  her  he  covered  him- 


8s  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

self  with  rugs  and  begged  permission  to  smoke; 
remarking : 

"  It's  a  shame  to  keep  you  up  longer  but  I  fancy 
that  your  stateroom  wouldn't  be  very  pleasant  just 
now.  It's  next  to  my  sister's,  you  know,  and  I 
saw  Number  Eight  coming  out  of  it  with  consider- 
able haste.  Miss  Greatorex  is  probably  ill,  but 
should  be  better  once  she  gets  settled  in  bed.  Then 
you  must  go  and  also  get  to  rest.  Quite  likely 
you'll  be  the  only  little  girl-companion  I'll  have  for 
the  rest  of  the  trip.  I  was  afraid  Molly  would 
make  a  poor  sailor,  and  she's  proving  me  correct. 
My  sister,  though,  never  suffers  from  sea-sickness 
and  is  a  charming  traveling  companion  as  you'll 
find." 

He  relapsed  into  silence  and  a  great  drowsiness 
began  to  overpower  Dorothy.  Her  day  had  been 
long  and  most  eventful  and  the  sea  air  was  strong. 
Presently,  her  head  drooped  against  the  back  of  her 
chair,  the  Judge  grew  indistinct  in  her  sight,  and 
she  fell  asleep. 

He  considered  then  what  was  best  to  do;  and 
presently  decided  that,  if  she  wasn't  sent  for,  she 
might  well  and  safely  pass  the  night  on  deck  as  he 
intended  to  do. 

Indeed,  so  often  had  he  voyaged  on  that  ship 
that  its  employees  had  learned  his  wishes  without 
telling;  and  now  there  came  to  him  one  Number 
Seven,  his  own  room  attendant,  bringing  a  pillow 
and  more  rugs.  He  was  dispatched  for  another 
pillow  and  between  them  they  gently  lowered  the 


MOONLIGHT  AND  MIST  ON  THE  SEA        83 

back  of  Dorothy's  chair,  placed  a  pillow  under  her 
unconscious  head  and  tucked  her  warmly  in.  Then 
he  settled  himself  to  rest  and  neither  of  them  knew 
distinctly  anything  more  until  the  daylight  came 
and  the  sunshine  struggled  with  the  enwrapping 
fog. 

She,  indeed,  had  had  vague  dreams  of  what  went 
on  about  her.  Had  heard  muffled  bells  and  pass- 
ing footsteps,  but  these  had  mingled  only  pleasantly 
with  her  sense  of  rest  and  happiness;  and  it  was  a 
very  surprised  young  person  who  at  last  opened  her 
eyes  upon  a  gray  expanse  of  mist-covered  ocean  and 
a  gray-haired  man  asleep  on  a  chair  beside  her. 

Sitting  up,  she  stared  about  her  for  a  moment  till 
she  realized  what  had  happened ;  then  smiled  to 
think  she  had  actually  slept  out  of  doors.  After- 
ward, she  wondered  with  some  anxiety  if  Miss 
Greatorex  had  sent  for  her  during  the  night,  or  if 
she  were  still  too  ill  to  care  about  anybody  save  her- 
self. 

"  Anyhow,  I  must  go  and  see.  My !  how  damp 
these  rugs  are  and  yet  I  am  as  warm  as  can  be. 
That's  what  dear  Miss  Penelope  said  she  meant  to 
do  —  sleep  on  deck.  But  she  didn't  come  and 
I've  done  it  in  her  stead.  What  a  queer  world  it  is 
and  how  things  do  get  twisted  round!  Now  I 
must  be  still  as  still  and  not  wake  that  dear  Judge 
— '  Uncle ',  who's  so  lovely  to  me !  " 

With  these  thoughts  she  slipped  softly  out  of  her 
rugs  and  tiptoed  away,  having  some  slight  trouble  to 
locate  "  Number  Thirteen  "  stateroom ;  and,  having 


84  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

done  so,  discovered  its  door  ajar,  fastened  against 
intrusion  by  a  chain. 

She  peeped  through  the  opening.  Miss  Isobel 
lay  with  her  eyes  closed,  but  whether  asleep  or  not 
Dorothy  couldn't  decide.  She  was  very  pale  and 
perfectly  motionless,  and  a  too-suggestive  tin  basin 
was  fastened  to  the  railing  of  her  berth. 

"Ugh!  I  can't  go  in  there  and  wake  her,  if 
she's  asleep;  or  to  go  any  way.  I'll  slip  around 
to  this  other  side  the  boat  where  there  are  such 
heaps  of  chairs  and  nobody  in  them.  My !  It's  cold 
and  I  haven't  anything  to  put  over  me  here.  Never 
mind,  I'll  stay.  If  I  go  back  to  where  I  was  I  might 
wake  Judge  Breckenridge,  and  I  shouldn't  like  to 
do  that.  I  don't  wonder  Molly  called  him  a  hand- 
some man.  He  looked  better  than  handsome  to  me, 
sleeping  there,  he  looked  noble." 

Thus  reflecting  she  settled  herself  on  a  chair 
against  the  inner  wall  and  watched  the  men  at  work 
moping  the  wet  decks  and  putting  the  steamer  gen- 
erally "  ship-shape  "  against  the  day's  voyage.  It 
was  a  forlorn  outlook  into  the  world  of  fog,  through 
which  the  sound  of  the  bells  rang  strangely.  Also, 
there  was  an  almost  continuous  blowing  of  whistles 
and  a  look  of  some  anxiety  on  the  faces  of  such  of 
the  crew  as  passed  by. 

Finally,  out  of  some  far-off  stairway,  young 
bugler  Melvin  came  tripping  and  hurried  along  the 
deck  in  her  direction.  She  fancied  a  look  of  sur- 
prise in  his  eyes  as  he  perceived  her  and  that  he 
would  pass  on  without  further  notice.  Yet,  just  as 


MOONLIGHT  AND  MIST  ON  THE  SEA        85 

he  reached  a  point  opposite  her  chair,  he  flashed  one 
glance  toward  her;  and  almost  as  quickly  turned 
about  to  retrace  his  steps.  Shivering  and  rather 
miserable  she  watched  him  idly,  and  now  the  sur- 
prise was  her  own. 

He  returned  and  still  without  speaking,  yet  with 
an  almost  painful  flush  on  his  face,  tossed  two  heavy 
rugs  into  her  lap  and  instantly  passed  on.  She  had 
no  chance  to  thank  him,  but  readily  answered  a 
laugh  from  a  deck-hand  near  by  who  had  witnessed 
the  little  incident  and  enjoyed  it.  The  "  Bashful 
Bugler  "  was  Melvin's  shipboard  nickname  and  no 
lad  ever  better  deserved  such.  Yet  he  had  been 
well  "  raised  "  and  there  was  something  very  ap- 
pealing to  the  chivalry  of  any  lad  in  the  look  of 
Dorothy's  just  now  sad  eyes;  though  commonly 
their  brown  depths  held  only  sunshine. 

The  sweeper  on  the  deck  moved  the  chairs  near 
her  and  even  her  own,  though  without  her  leaving 
it,  the  better  to  clear  off  the  moisture  which  the  fog 
had  deposited.  She  had  echoed  his  laugh  and  he 
remarked : 

"  Nice  boy,  '  Bashful '  is ;  but  no  more  fitted  to 
go  round  'mongst  strangers  'n  a  picked  chicken." 

Both  the  sailor  and  Dorothy  were  glad  to  speak 
with  anybody,  and  she  asked : 

"  Will  this  fog  last  long  ?  Is  it  often  so  cold  right 
in  the  summer  time?  " 

"  Cold  enough  to  freeze  the  legs  off  an  iron  pot, 
slathers  of  times.  This  is  one  of  'em !  As  for  fogs 
lastin',  I  reckon,  little  Miss,  there  won't  be  no  more 


86  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

sunshine  twixt  here  and  Yarmouth  harbor.  If 
you're  cold  out  here  though,  and  don't  want  to  go  to 
your  room,  you'll  find  things  snug  down  yonder  in 
that  music-room,  or  what  you  call  it." 

"Oh!  is  there  a  place?  Under  shelter?  Will 
you  show  me  ?  " 

"  Sure.  If  'tis  open  yet.  Sometimes  it's  shut 
overnight  but  likely  not  now.  I'll  take  them  rugs 
for  you,  Sissy,  if  you  like." 

"  Thank  you.  Thank  you  so  much.  How  nice 
everybody  is  on  a  steamship!  Is  it  living  all  the 
time  on  the  water  makes  you  kind,  I  wonder  ?  " 

"  Give  it  up !  "  answered  this  able  seaman,  not  a 
little  flattered  by  Dorothy's  appreciation  of  his  serv- 
ice, and  in  Molly's  own  frequent  manner.  With 
another  smile  at  this  memory,  Dorothy  followed  as 
he  walked  ahead,  dragging  his  mop  behind  him  and 
leaving  a  shining  streak  in  his  wake. 

They  found  the  little  saloon,  music  room,  writing 
room,  or  "  what  you  call  it,"  closed,  but  the  door 
opened  readily  enough,  and  Dorothy  was  delighted 
to  creep  within  the  warmth  and  comfort  of  the 
place.  It  was  dark  inside  but  the  man  turned  on 
the  electric  light,  and,  doffing  his  cap,  went  out, 
shut  the  door  behind  him,  and  left  her  to  her  soli- 
tary enjoyment. 

"What  a  pretty  room!  How  cozy  and  warm! 
I'm  going  to  cuddle  down  in  this  easy  chair  and 
take  another  nap.  There's  nobody  stirring  much 
and  I  heard  one  man  say  to  another  that  there  were 
more  folks  sick  this  trip  than  had  been  all  summer. 


MOONLIGHT  AND  MIST  ON  THE  SEA       87 

I  wonder  if  poor  Molly  is  yet!  I'd  go  and  see  only 
I  don't  want  to  disturb  Mrs.  Hungerford. 

"  Now,  Dorothy  girl,  shut  your  eyes  and  don't 
open  them  again  till  breakfast  time.  I  am  awfully 
disappointed.  I'd  counted  upon  watching  the  sun 
rise  over  the  ocean  and  was  going  to  get  up  so 
early  to  do  it:  Huh!  I'm  early  enough,  but  the 
poor  sun  is  taking  a  bath  and  can't  be  seen." 

Artificial  heat  had  been  turned  into  the  room 
which  accounted  for  the  warmth  she  found  so  grate- 
ful. This,  succeeding  her  shivering  fit,  made  her 
drowsy  and  she  shut  her  eyes  "  just  for  forty 
winks."  But  a  good  many  times  "  forty "  had 
passed  before  she  opened  them  once  more  and  found 
herself  still  alone.  She  got  up  and  looked  about 
her,  thinking  that  she  must  go  to  "  Number  Thir- 
teen "  and  bathe  her  face  and  hands,  though  not 
much  more  than  that  could  be  accomplished  in  such 
limited  quarters.  She'd  go  in  just  a  minute. 
Meanwhile  there  was  a  piano.  She'd  like  to  try  it, 
though  her  lessons  on  that  instrument  had  been  but 
few.  However  — 

"  Oh !  joy !  There's  a  violin  case  on  the  shelf 
yonder!  I'm  going  to  look  at  it.  If  there's  a  violin 
inside  —  There  is!  I'd  love,  just  love  to  try  that, 
far  more  than  a  jingling  piano.  I  wonder  would 
anybody  hear  me?  I  don't  believe  so.  It's  so  far 
away.  I'm  going  to  —  I  am !  " 

With  a  fiddle  once  more  under  her  chin  Dorothy 
forgot  all  but  that  happy  fact.  Delicately  and  tim- 
idly at  first,  she  drew  her  bow  across  the  strings, 


88  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

fearing  an  interruption ;  but  when  none  came  she 
gathered  boldness  and  played  as  she  would  have 
done  in  Herr  von  Peter's  own  helpful  presence. 

How  long  she  stood  there,  swaying  to  her  own 
music,  enwrapped  in  it  and  no  longer  lonely,  she 
didn't  know;  but  after  a  time  the  minor  chords  of 
her  last  and  "  loveliest  lesson  "  were  rudely  broken 
in  upon  by  other  strains  which  cut  short  her  prac- 
ticing and  set  her  face  toward  the  door. 

There  stood  the  "  Bashful  Bugler "  tooting  his 
"  first  call  to  breakfast "  directly  toward  her,  and 
her  response  was  a  crash  of  discord  from  the  violin. 
The  effect  upon  Melvin  was  to  make  him  lower 
his  bugle  and  flash  out  of  sight  as  if  propelled  by  a 
hurricane. 


CHAPTER  VI 

SAFE  ON  SHORE 

THE  bad  weather  continued.  So  did  the  illness 
of  Miss  Greatorex  and  Molly  Breckenridge. 
Neither  of  them  left  their  stateroom  again  till  that 
day  and  another  night  had  passed  and  the  "  Prince  " 
came  to  her  mooring  in  Yarmouth  harbor. 

Both  Mrs.  Hungerford  and  Dorothy  spent  much 
of  their  time  with  one  or  other  patient,  yet  were 
often  alone  together  on  deck  or  in  the  music  room 
and  became  very  well  acquainted,  indeed,  during 
their  hours  of  loneliness.  From  the  girl  Auntie 
Lu  drew  many  details  of  her  short  life,  and  was 
especially  interested  when  she  found  that  Mrs.  Betty 
Calvert  was  a  friend  of  them  both;  exclaiming: 

"  Why,  my  dear,  I've  known  Mrs.  Betty  Calvert 
all  my  life!  She  was  my  mother's  dearest  corres- 
pondent. They  had  been  girls  together,  though 
Mrs.  Calvert  was  older  than  mother.  Their  homes 
were  near  each  other  in  Maryland ;  and  —  why,  the 
Calverts,  or  Somersets,  were  as  intimate  as  it  is 
possible  for  families  to  be  with  our  folks  —  the 
Breckenridges !  This  is  most  interesting.  Most 
certainly  interesting.  I  must  tell  my  brother. 
Schuyler  is  so  loyal  to  all  our  old  Marylanders;  he 
89 


90  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

thinks  there  are  no  people  like  them  anywhere, 
though  for  my  part  I  find  human  nature's  pretty 
much  the  same  all  the  world  over." 

"  Yes,  Mrs.  Hunger  ford,  I've  heard  Mrs.  Calvert 
say  that  there  was  no  gentleman  so  fine  as  a  south- 
ern one.  Mr.  Seth  laughs  at  her  and  says  that's 
a  '  hobby/  and  she's  '  mistaken.'  He  says  gentle- 
men don't  grow  any  better  on  one  soil  than  an- 
other/ but  are  *  indigenous  to  the  whole  United 
States/  though  Mr.  Winters  is  a  Mary  lander  him- 
self." Then  she  naively  added  in  explanation,  and 
in  a  little  vanity  about  her  botanical  lore :  " '  In- 
digenous '  means,  maybe  you  don't  know,  a  plant 
that  belongs  to,  is  a  native  of,  some  particular  re- 
gion. Mr.  Seth  taught  me  and  Father  John.  They 
both  know  lots  about  botany,  though  father  hasn't 
lived  in  the  country  as  long  as  our  '  Learned  Black- 
smith/ who  does  know,  seems  if,  all  there  is  worth 
knowing  in  this  world.  For  a  man,  I  mean." 

Aunt  Lucretia  smiled  and  nodded,  but  in  an  ab- 
sent sort  of  manner  as  if  she  had  scarcely  heard 
what  Dorothy  had  said.  Then  as  the  girl  rose, 
remarking:  "I'll  go  now  and  sit  a  while  with 
Molly  if  she's  awake.  Funny!  She  says  she  feels 
all  right  as  long  as  she  lies  down  and  so  horrid  when 
she  tries  to  get  up  and  dress ;  "  the  lady's  gaze  fol- 
lowed her  little  figure  with  a  keenly  critical  inter- 
est. Also,  she  eagerly  greeted  the  Judge,  who  now 
came  to  her,  with  the  ambiguous  exclamation: 

"  Schuyler  Breckenridge,  the  most  marvellous 
thing!  I've  discovered  —  or  I  believe  I  have  — 


SAFE  ON  SHORE  91 

what  that  remarkable  likeness  is  which  has  so  per- 
plexed me.  Blood  always  tells,  always  crops  out !  " 

"  Exactly.  Especially  in  cases  like  this.  Having 
nothing  else  to  do  I've  tried  whittling  —  with  this 
result  Tie  it  up,  Lu,  and  explain  yourself  —  if 
you  can,"  he  answered,  whimsically  holding  out  a 
finger  he  had  cut  and  that  was  slightly  bleeding. 

"  Oh !  you  poor  dear !  " 

"  Yes.  Am  I  not !  Wait.  Here's  a  bit  of  court- 
plaster.  Forgot  I  had  it  or  wouldn't  have  troubled 
you.  Now,  talk  ahead." 

"  Schuyler,  a  man  like  you  shouldn't  trifle  with 
edged  tools.  You  have  no  gift  for  anything  but  — 
lawing.  It  wouldn't  be  any  laughing  matter  if  you 
should  develop  blood-poison  — " 

"  It  certainly  would  not,  and  as  I  like  to  laugh 
I  shan't  do  it.  Now,  what  is  this  marvellous  thing 
you've  discovered,  please?  I'm  getting  tired  of 
fog,  no  newspapers,  and  chess  with  a  stranger; 
so  welcome  even  a  woman's  gossip  with  delight ! " 

She  paid  no  heed  to  his  chaffing  but  began : 

"  I  believe  I  know  who  that  Dorothy's  parents 
were.  I'm  as  positive  as  if  I'd  been  told;  and  I'm 
perfectly  amazed  at  Mrs.  Betty  Calvert.  Isn't  it 
wonderful  ?  " 

"  Apparently  —  to  you.  Not  yet  to  me.  I've 
understood  that  two  and  two  makes  four ;  but  how 
your  '  belief '  and  poor  old  Betty  Calvert  make  sen- 
sible connection  I  fail  to  comprehend.  I  await  in- 
struction." 

"  Stop  jesting  and  you  shall  have  it.     Then  tell 


92  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

me  if  I  haven't  given  you  better  food  for  thought 
than  you'd  find  in  to-day's  paper  —  if  you  could 
get  it  here  at  sea," 

Thereupon,  hitching  her  chair  a  little  nearer  to 
her  brother's  and  glancing  about  to  see  no  stranger 
overheard,  the  lady  began  a  low  toned  conversa- 
tion with  him.  This  proved,  as  she  had  foretold, 
far  more  entertaining  than  the  day's  news;  and 
when  it  was  over,  when  there  was  nothing  more 
to  be  said,  he  rose,  pulled  his  traveling  cap  over  his 
eyes,  thrust  his  hands  into  his  capacious  pockets  and 
walked  away  "  to  think  it  over."  Adding,  as  he 
left: 

"  Well,  if  you're  right  everything  is  wrong.  And 
if  you're  wrong  everything's  right." 

Over  which  eminent  legal  opinion  Mrs.  Hunger- 
ford  smiled,  reflecting: 

"  He's  convinced.  There's  nobody  I  know  so 
well  versed  in  Maryland  genealogy  as  Schuyler 
Breckenridge.  It's  been  his  pastime  so  long  he'll 
be  keen  on  this  scent  till  he  proves  it  false  or  true. 
And  if  it  is  true  —  what  a  shame,  what  a  shame ! 
That  horrid,  lonely  old  woman  to  take  such  an 
outrageous  course.  Poor,  dear,  sweet  little  Dor- 
othy ! " 

The  result  to  Dorothy  of  this  conversation  was  a 
greater  kindness  than  ever  on  the  part  of  Molly's 
people;  who  now  seemed  to  take  her  into  their 
hearts  as  if  she  were  of  kin  to  them.  She  often 
found  them  looking  at  her  searchingly,  trying  to 
trace  that  "  likeness  "  which  one  of  them  had  dis- 


SAFE  ON  SHORE  93 

covered.  But  no  word  of  what  was  in  their  minds 
was  said  to  her.  She  was  merely  invited  to  call 
Mrs.  Hungerford  "  Aunt "  as  she  was  to  call  the 
Judge  "  Uncle." 

So  despite  the  dullness  of  the  fog,  which  pre- 
vented her  seeing  much  of  the  ocean,  the  day  passed 
very  well.  When  she  was  asked  if  she  could  play 
and  to  give  her  new  friends  a  little  music,  she  took 
the  violin  from  its  shelf  and  gave  them  her  simple 
best.  To  please  them  who  were  so  kind  to  her  was 
a  delight  to  herself  and  her  readiness  to  oblige  was 
instantly  construed  by  Aunt  Lucretia  as  a  fresh 
proof  of  her  "  discovery." 

"  Only  a  well-born  child  has  that  easy  grace  of 
manner,  Schuyler,  as  you  must  often  have  ob- 
served," she  remarked  with  pleased  conviction. 

To  which  he  replied  by  warning: 

"  Take  care  you  don't  build  up  a  romance  that 
will  fall  to  pieces  like  a  house  of  cards  at  the  first 
breath  of  reality.  But  as  to  birth,  be  it  high  or 
low,  Dorothy  is  a  most  winning  little  maid  and  I'm 
thankful  to  have  her  along  with  us  on  our  holiday. 
Thankful,  also,  that  impulsive  Molly  chose  just 
such  an  unselfish,  ingenuous  girl  for  her  'chum/ 
My  poor  little  lass !  Her  first  ocean  voyage  will  be 
a  dreary  memory  for  her !  " 

"  Oh !  not  so  bad.  She's  perfectly  comfortable 
when  she  lies  still.  She  has  plenty  of  attention  and 
sleeps  a  deal.  She's  not  losing  much  fun  out  here 
in  this  weather  and  will  be  no  more  glad  to  step 
onto  solid  land  again  than  I  shall.  Except  that, 


94  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

but  for  this  enforced  close  companionship  with  lit- 
tle Dorothy  I  might  not  have  thought  out  her  story 
as  I  have." 

"  There  you  go  again !  Well,  the  suggestion 
haunts  me,  too.  I'll  investigate  promptly ;  and  — 
what  I  shall  do  after  that  I  haven't  yet  decided.  I 
hate  a  meddler  and  am  not  anxious  to  become  one, 
Heigho!  No  matter  how  hard  a  tired  man  tries 
to  mind  his  own  business  he  can't  do  it!  Here 
comes  that  young  Melvin  Cook,  and  he's  a  lad  with 
a  pedigree,  let  me  tell  you,  as  long  as  any  oldest 
Marylander  of  all.  He  and  I  have  a  bit  of  business 
to  discuss,  so  I'll  walk  the  deck  with  him  awhile, 
Dorothy,  I  suppose,  will  sleep  in  her  own  stateroom 
to-night,  since  Miss  Greatorex  is  comfortable. 
Good  night,  and  sleep  well." 

The  deserted  deck  and  the  quiet  gloom  were  a 
forcible  contrast  to  the  radiance  and  hilarity  of  the 
evening  before,  so  that  Mrs.  Hungerford  did  not 
linger  long  after  the  Judge  had  left  her,  to  pace  up 
and  down  in  earnest  conversation  with  the  "  Bash- 
ful Bugler."  Yet  her  thought  was  now  upon  the 
lad  and  his  name  which  her  brother  had  mentioned. 

"  Cook !  Cook,  from  Yarmouth.  Why,  that's 
the  same  as  that  quaint  old  fellow  brother  took  into 
his  private  office.  He  came  from  Nova  Scotia, 
too,  and  called  himself  a  typical  Bluenose.  Feared 
he  was  liable  to  consumption  and  left  home  for  our 
milder  climate.  Wonder  if  he  is  a  relative  of  the 
blond  bugler!  After  all,  as  Molly  so  often  ex- 
claims, '  what  a  little  bit  o'  world  it  is !  Every- 


SAFE  ON  SHORE  95 

body  you  know  turning  up  everywhere  you  go ! ' 
Quite  a  keen  observer  is  my  flighty  little  niece,  in 
spite  of  all  her  nonsense;  and  bless  her  heart!  I 
must  go  and  see  how  she  is  and  send  small  nurse 
Dorothy  to  her  own  slumbers." 

So  she  too  walked  forward,  and  was  seen  no  more 
till  the  grating  sounds  and  the  shouted  orders  told 
that  the  good  ship  "  Prince  "  was  docked  and  her 
goodly  company  had  reached  that  safe  "  haven 
where  they  would  be." 

Then  as  if  by  magic  the  decks  filled  with  a  merry 
company,  even  those  who  had  suffered  most  from 
seasickness  the  gayest  of  all. 

"  So  good  to  go  ashore !  Too  early  for  break- 
fast ?  Of  course ;  but  I'll  take  a  walk  on  dry  —  or 
fog-wet  ground  before  I  take  mine !  "  said  the  gen- 
tleman who  had  been  first  to  succumb  to  the  "  fog 
swell,"  and  stepped  down  the  ladder,  whistling  like 
a  happy  lad. 

Miss  Greatorex  and  Molly  emerged  from  their 
staterooms  a  little  pallid,  rather  shaky  on  their  feet, 
but  quite  as  happy  as  their  neighbors.  Not  the  less 
pleased,  either,  because  the  Judge  promptly  an- 
nounced : 

"  We'll  not  bother  for  breakfast  here.  Some  of 
us  don't  remember  the  '  Prince's  '  dining  room  with 
great  affection,  eh  ? "  and  he  playfully  pinched 
Molly's  wan  cheek.  "  We're  going  to  stop  in  Yar- 
mouth for  a  few  days,  and  the  hotel  carriage  will 
take  the  rest  of  you  up  to  it  at  once.  You'll  find 
your  rooms  all  ready  for  you.  I'll  see  to  our  lug- 


96  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

gage  and  have  that  sent  up,  then  follow  in  time  to 
join  you  at  table.  All  right,  everybody?  All  your 
small  belongings  in  hand?  Then  driver,  pass  on." 

Already  the  fog  was  lifting,  and  the  urbane  old 
man  upon  the  box  leaned  down  and  informed  his 
fares : 

"  Going  to  be  a  fine  day,  ladies.  You'll  see 
Ya'mouth  at  her  purtiest.  Ever  been  here  before, 
any  of  you  ?  " 

Miss  Greatorex's  propriety  began  to  return.  A 
sure  sign,  Mrs.  Hungerford  thought,  that  she  was 
feeling  better ;  and  she  watched  in  secret  amuse- 
ment the  sudden  stiffening  of  the  angular  figure  and 
the  compression  of  the  thin  lips  as  the  "  instruct- 
ress "  looked  fixedly  out  of  the  carriage  window  and 
vouchsafed  no  other  reply. 

But  Aunt  Lu  always  adapted  herself  to  the  habits 
of  any  country  of  the  many  she  had  visited  and  re- 
plied, with  an  eagerness  that  was  half-mischievous 
and  for  Miss  Isobel's  benefit: 

"  No,  indeed !  and  we're  anxious  to  see  and  learn 
everything  new.  So  please  point  out  anything  of 
note,  and  thank  you." 

"  Hmm.  I  should  suppose  there  could  be  nothing 
'  of  note '  in  a  place  like  this,"  murmured  Miss 
Isobel,  severely,  as  she  scornfully  observed  the 
dingy  streets  and  dwellings  of  that  neighborhood. 

But  the  hackman  was  gratified  by  Mrs.  Hunger- 
ford's  interest  and  a  chance  for  his  own  garrulity, 
and  promptly  informed  them: 

"  'Tain't  never  fair  to  judge  no  town  by  its  water- 


SAFE  ON  SHORE  97 

front.  Course  not.  Stands  to  reason  that  ship- 
yards and  docks  and  sailorses'  saloons  ain't  laid  out 
for  beauty.  But  just  you  wait  till  we  get  up  the 
hill  a  speck  and  then  you'll  see  somethin'  worth 
seein'.  True.  There  ain't  a  nicer  town  in  the 
whole  Province  o'  Novy  Scoshy  'an  Ya'mouth  is. 
Now  we're  a  gettin'.  Now\  See  there?" 

"  Ah !  how  lovely !  "  "  Oh !  Auntie  Lu !  "  "  Oh ! 
my  heart,  my  heart !  If  only  darling  Father  John 
could  see  that  hedge?  What  is  it,  Auntie  Lu,  can 
you  tell  ? "  cried  Dorothy  in  rapture ;  for,  indeed, 
the  hedges  of  this  old  town  by  the  sea  are  famous 
everywhere  the  name  of  Yarmouth  is  heard. 

The  driver  didn't  wait  for  Mrs.  Hungerford  to 
reply,  even  if  she  could  have  done  so.  He  received 
every  question  and  exclamation  as  personal  and 
proudly  answered: 

"  Ha'tho'n,  them  are,  this  side.  Then  yonder  is 
spruce.  And  our  gardens!  If  you  women-folks 
love  posies  as  most  females  does,  you'd  ought  to  be 
here  a  spell  later.  Roses  ain't  out  yet  but  cherries 
is  in  flower." 

"  Roses  not  in  bloom  ?  Why,  they're  past  it  with 
us !  "  responded  Auntie  Lu,  surprised. 

"  Hmm,  ma'am.  And  where  might  that  be,  if  I 
c'n  make  so  bold?  " 

"  The  vicinity  of  New  York,  I  was  recalling." 

"  Hmm.  Exactly.  A  poor  kind  of  country,  New 
York  is,  even  though  they  do  call  it  the  '  Empire 
State  '  and  try  to  bolster  up  its  failin's  with  a  lot  of 
fine  talk.  Now  our  Province  o'  Novy  Scoshy,  and 


98  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

this  Ya'mouth,  don't  need  to  do  no  talkin'.  All's 
necessary  for  us  and  them  is  just  to  —  BE !  Once 
a  feller  comes  and  gets  a  good  square  look  at  us  — 
no  water-front  way  — "  he  interpolated,  with  a 
shrewd  glance  toward  Miss  Isobel's  averted  face 
and  an  absurd  wink  to  Mrs.  Hungerford  — "  he  just 
sets  right  down  and  quits  talkin'  of  his  own  places. 
Fact.  I've  lived  here  all  my  life  and  that's  the 
reason  I  know  it." 

The  man's  good  nature  and  self-satisfaction  were 
vastly  amusing  to  Aunt  Lucretia,  who  ignored  what 
seemed  impertinence  to  the  more  formal  Miss 
Greatorex,  while  the  former  inwardly  delighted  in 
this  to  her  "new  type  "  of  liveryman,  and  was  al- 
ready anticipating  the  Judge's  entertainment  when 
the  story  of  this  ride  was  told  him. 

But  Molly  waxed  indignant  over  his  disaparage- 
ment  of  her  native  land  and  exclaimed: 

"  I  wish  you'd  not  talk  that  way !  We're  Amer- 
icans. I  don't  like  it !  " 

"  American,  be  you  ?     So'm  I." 

"  Oh !  well.  Course  it's  all  America,  but  I  mean 
we're  from  —  from  the  States,"  as  she  chanced  to 
recall  an  expression  she  had  heard. 

"From  the  States,  hey?     So  be  I." 

"  Yet  you  say  you've  lived  here  all  your  life.  If 
you  hadn't  you'd  have  been  more  —  more  liberal  — 
like  travel  makes  people.  If  you'd  once  seen  New 
York  you  wouldn't  think  that  little  Yarmouth  was 
so  mighty  pretty.  A  right  smart  you  know  about 
it,  anyway ! " 


SAFE  ON  SHORE  99 

"  Huh !  Gid-dap !  "  was  the  scornful  rejoinder, 
as  Jehu  whirled  about  on  his  seat  and  touched  his 
team  to  a  gallop. 

Mrs.  Hungerford  gave  Molly  a  warning  tap, 
though  she  was  inwardly  pleased  to  find  the  child 
so  far  recovered  as  to  take  an  interest  in  defending 
her  own  home. 

It  was  rather  startling  to  have  an  ensuing  silence 
broken  by  the  old  driver's  facing  about  once  more 
and  declaring  with  great  glee: 

"  You  ain't  no  New  Yorker,  so  you  needn't  be 
touchy  about  that  little  village.  You're  from  down 
south." 

"  How  do  you  know  ?  " 

"  Yorkers  don't  say  '  mighty  pretty '  and  '  right 
smart,'  as  the  Johnny  Rebs  do.  I  know.  I've  druv 
a  power  of  both  lots.  As  for  me,  I'm  a  Yankee, 
straight  descent.  My  forbear,  Sealed  Waters,  was 
one  the  first  settlers  here.  A  Yankee  I  claim  to  be, 
and  the  '  wa' '  ain't  over  yet,  'pears  like.  Ha,  ha, 
ha!" 

His  mirth  was  contagious  and  they  all  joined  in 
it ;  even  Miss  Greatorex  emitting  a  faint  little  cackle, 
which  was  all  her  dignity  permitted.  Also,  by  that 
time  the  carriage  had  been  halted  before  a  fine  hotel, 
into  which  other  passengers  from  their  steamer  were 
already  passing ;  and  they  were  duly  helped  to  alight 
and  enter,  their  loquacious  jehu  calmly  extending 
his  card  with  his  name  and  number  and,  after  a 
most  business-like  fashion,  requesting  their  pat- 
ronage during  the  rest  of  their  stay. 


ioo  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"  Show  you  the  purtiest  little  town  in  the  world, 
and  '11  live  to  hear  you  admit  it,  Ma'am.  Thank 
you,  ma'am,  and  good-day  to  you." 

The  Judge  had  secured  their  rooms  long  in  ad- 
vance of  their  arrival,  and  it  was  well  that  he  had. 
The  Province  had  come  greatly  to  the  fore  as  a  sum- 
mer pleasure  ground  and  less  thoughtful  travelers 
did  not  always  obtain  such  quarters  as  they  pre- 
ferred. 

"  Oh !  this  is  fine !  "  exclaimed  Mrs.  Hungerford, 
as  she  entered  her  chamber  with  its  neat  appoint- 
ments and  refreshing  bath.  But  Miss  Greatorex 
was  not  enthusiastic.  She  was  disappointed  in  the 
inn  as  she  had  been  in  the  steamer,  having  antici- 
pated something  much  larger  and  finer.  The  ex- 
aggerated term  of  "  palatial,"  which  the  proprietors 
had  attached  to  both,  had  deceived  her  and  it  was  no 
great  comfort  to  have  her  companion  explain : 

"  Of  course,  one  can't  find  Broadway  hostelries 
nor  European  '  liners  '  in  this  part  of  the  world ;  but 
brother  has  often  stayed  in  this  house  and  knows  it 
well.  There  is  a  larger,  newer  hotel,  but  he  likes 
this  little  inn.  The  fare  is  excellent,  the  place  is 
safe  and  quiet,  and  the  landlord  becomes  your  actual 
host.  That's  the  charm  of  the  Canadians ;  they  are 
all  so  simple  and  so  courteous.  Try  and  ignore  the 
disadvantages,  dear  Miss  Isobel,  and  get  all  the  fun 
out  of  our  trip  you  can.  If  you'd  seen  some  of  the 
places  I've  slept  in  you'd  think  this  is  really  '  pala- 
tial.' " 

The  girls  were  out  of  hearing  and  Mrs.  Hunger- 


SAFE  ON  SHORE  101 

ford  felt  herself  justified  in  thus  much  of  admonition 
to  her  traveling  mate,  whose  ideas  had  been  too 
highly  raised  by  the  circulars  and  descriptions  she 
had  read.  Fortunately,  Miss  Greatorex  was  so 
thankful  to  be  once  more  on  land  that  she  really 
tried  to  forget  minor  annoyances  and  to  look  upon 
whatever  happened  as  so  much  further  "  education," 
Her  little  notebook  was  promptly  put  to  use  and 
she  filled  several  pages  with  memoranda  of  the  old 
seaport  which  she  had  so  despised  at  first  and  found 
so  historically  instructive  afterward.  Indeed,  as 
Molly  declared: 

"  You'll  have  to  buy  a  good  many  books  to  hold 
all  you  want  to  write,  even  in  that  fine  hand,  dear 
Miss  Greatorex;  and  what  a  lot  of  things  you'll 
have  to  tell  the  girls  at  our  '  twilight  talks ! ' ' 

Nor  could  any  inexperienced  traveler  have  found 
better  companions  than  Judge  Breckenridge  and  his 
sister.  They  were  so  simple,  so  friendly,  and  such 
keen  observers.  Everywhere  they  went  they  met 
and  mingled  with  the  people  exactly  as  if  they  were 
old  and  familiar  friends ;  and  in  the  gentleman's 
case  this  was  quite  true.  He  had  been  in  the  Prov- 
ince many  times,  as  has  been  said,  and  he  had  the 
happy  gift  of  a  good  and  willing  memory.  He 
never  forgot  an  acquaintance  nor  recalled  one  un- 
kindly, and  it  surprised  even  Mrs.  Hungerford  to 
see  how  many  faces  brightened  at  his  approach  and 
how  often  the  greeting  came :  "  Welcome,  wel- 
come, friend !  " 

"  Why,  Judge,  you  back  again  ?     Well,  I'm  cer- 


102  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

tain  glad  to  see  you  ?  *  Tourists '  like  you  are  the 
sort  we  welcome  heartiest  to  Ya'mouth.  Fact,  ain't 
it?  The  more  folks  know,  the  more  they've  trav- 
eled, the  more  they  find  to  admire  and  enjoy  even 
in  such  a  place  as  this !  "  cried  one  old  seaman, 
whom  they  met  on  their  morning  walk. 

For  having  enjoyed  a  most  excellent  breakfast 
and  the  sun  now  shining  brilliantly,  they  set  out  for 
a  stroll  through  the  pretty  streets  and  past  the 
charming  gardens  of  the  town;  and  finally  brought 
up  at  the  post-office  where  there  were  letters  for 
everybody,  even  for  Dorothy. 

Hers  was  from  Jim  Barlow,  and  full  of  news  of 
the  mountain  and  old  friends  there;  saying,  also, 
that  he  had  been  invited  to  join  his  tutor,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Sterling,  who  was  sometimes  called  the  "  tramp- 
ing parson,"  on  a  walking  tour  through  the  northern 
part  of  the  Empire  State.  It  was  overflowing  with 
enthusiasm  over  the  places  he  would  visit  and  the 
wonderful  "  good  luck  "  which  had  so  changed  the 
life  of  the  truck-farm  lad ;  "  and  I  mean  to  make 
the  whole  '  tramp '  a  part  of  my  education.  I  tell 
you,  Dolly  girl,  if  there's  much  gets  past  me 
without  my  seeing  and  knowing  it,  it'll  be  when  I'm 
asleep.  Mr.  Sterling's  a  geologist,  and  likes  to  take 
his  vacation  this  way,  so's  he  can  find  new  stones, 
or  hammer  old  ones  to  his  heart's  content. 

"  Whilst  he's  a  hammering  I'll  be  hunting  things 
in  the  woods.  I  mean  to  make  a  regular  list  of 
every  bird  I  see,  and  every  animal,  and  study  all 
their  little  habits  and  tricks.  I'll  carry  some  old 


SAFE  ON  SHORE  103 

newspapers  and  a  book,  too,  so  that  if  I  come  across 
any  new  kind  of  flower  or  plant  I'll  press  it  for  you. 
That  way  my  vacation  '11  be  considerable  of  a  help 
to  you  too. 

"  Try  and  learn  all  you  can,  Dorothy  child,  whilst 
you  have  the  chance.  There's  nothing  so  perfectly 
grand  in  all  this  world  as  learning  things.  I've  no- 
ticed you  were  getting  a  little  flighty,  along  back, 
and  setting  more  store  by  your  clothes  than  you 
used  to,  or  that  a  girl  who'll  have  to  teach  for  her 
living  had  ought  to.  Needn't  get  mad  with  me  for 
reminding  you.  I  can  write  it  easier  than  I  could 
say  it  to  your  face,  some  way ;  and  amongst  all  the 
good  times  you're  having  don't  forget  to  write  to 
me  once  in  a  while,  for  we've  been  so  like  brother 
and  sister  this  long  time  that  I  want  to  hear.  So 
no  more  at  present  from  your  affectionate 

JAMES  BARLOW. 

"  P.  S. —  I  had  a  letter  from  Mrs.  Cecil  Somer- 
set-Calvert.  She  wrote  I  was  to  call  to  Deerhurst 
and  get  Peter  and  Ponce,  her  two  Great  Danes,  and 
take  them  with  me  on  my  tour.  She'd  already 
written  to  Mr.  Sterling,  because  she  knew  he  was 
a  dog-lover,  and  he  was  pleased  to  have  them  on 
the  trip.  Good-by.  JIM." 

"  Well,  this  changes  our  plans  somewhat,"  re- 
marked the  Judge,  looking  up  from  one  of  his  let- 
ters, with  an  expression  of  some  disappointment. 
They  had  all  paused  outside  the  postoffice  building 
to  hastily  scan  their  news,  and  now  grouped  about 


104  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

him  in  interest,  as  Mrs.  Hungerford  rather 
anxiously  asked: 

"  Why,  Schuyler,  what's  happened  ?  " 

"  Oh !  nothing  unpleasant.  Not  at  all.  Only 
this  is  from  Ihrie,  and  the  boys  will  be  on  hand 
earlier  than  expected.  So,  to  get  around  to  all  the 
places  we  want  to  see  and  yet  be  at  our  rendezvous 
in  time  we'll  have  to  cut  our  stay  here  short.  I 
wouldn't  like  to  fail  the  boys." 

"  Not  on  any  account ! "  exclaimed  Aunt  Lu, 
merrily;  and  then  explaining  to  Miss  Greatorex: 
"  Let  me  tell  you,  Miss  Isobel,  that  these  '  boys ' 
range  anywhere  from  fifty  to  seventy-five  years  in 
age!  and  that  one  of  them  is  a  college  president, 
another  a  world-famous  surgeon,  and  the  third  an 
equally  notable  merchant.  Old  class-mates  under 
their  president,  whom  it  is  their  glory  to  have  with 
them  on  these  annual  trips." 

"  Why,  I  —  I  think  that  is  beautiful !  "  returned 
the  teacher,  with  so  much  enthusiasm  that  the  others 
reflected  how  she  was  "  waking  up."  "  Beautiful," 
she  added  again,  after  a  pause  in  which  she  had 
looked  with  new  interest  upon  her  own  young 
pupils. 

"  Yes,  we  must  get  on.  So  let's  plan  our  day 
the  best  we  can,  and  take  the  evening  express  for 
Digby.  How  does  this  suit?  To  call  a  carriage 
and  have  you  ladies  driven  all  around,  to  '  do '  Yar- 
mouth as  thoroughly  as  possible  in  so  short  a  time. 
Don't  wait  dinner  for  me  —  for  us.  I  have  a  visit 
to  make  which  must  not  be  postponed,  since  it  con- 


SAFE  ON  SHORE  105 

cerns  the  interests  of  other  people.  I'll  take  the 
girls  with  me  and  give  them  a  chance  to  see  the  in- 
side of  a  Yarmouth  cottage.  Also,  if  we're  invited, 
to  taste  a  bit  of  native  Yarmouth  cookery.  We'll 
get  around  back  to  the  inn  in  time  for  collecting  our 
traps  and  making  the  train.  Eh  ?  " 

"  Suits  me  well  enough ; "  answered  Mrs.  Hun- 
gerford,  and  Miss  Isobel  nodded  acquiescence,  say- 
ing to  the  surprise  of  the  others :  "  That  descend- 
ant of  '  Sealed  Waters '  might  impart  the  most  in- 
formation of  any  driver,  possibly." 

"  But  —  Molly !  Why,  Molly,  what  are  you  act- 
ing that  way  for  ?  "  demanded  Dorothy,  smiling  at 
the  antics  of  her  mate.  For  the  girl  had  hastily 
scanned  two  of  her  letters  and  having  saved  "  the 
best  to  the  last "  was  now  prancing  all  over  the 
sidewalk,  waving  the  missive  overhead  and  crying: 

"Splendid!     Splendid!     SPLENDID!" 


CHAPTER  VII 

FINNAN  HADDIE  IN  A  GARDEN 

As  Molly's  excitement  seemed  pleasurable  they 
did  not  tarry  for  its  explanation  but  promptly  sepa- 
rated; the  ladies  returning  to  their  hotel  to  order 
their  carriage  and  repack  the  few  articles  they  had 
taken  from  their  valises. 

The  Judge  set  off  down  the  street,  still  examin- 
ing his  mail  and  bidding  the  girls  to  follow ;  and,  as 
they  did  so,  Molly  exclaimed : 

"  It's  just  too  lovely  for  words !  Monty's  com- 
ing, Monty's  coming ! " 

Dorothy  almost  lost  sight  of  the  Judge  as  he 
turned  a  corner  into  a  side  street,  so  long  she  paused 
and  so  disgusted  she  felt. 

"  That  boy !  What's  he  coming  for  ?  I  hope  not 
to  be  with  us !  " 

"  Exactly  what  he  is,  then !  We  laid  a  little  plan 
that  last  morning  when  we  started.  His  mother 
was  in  Newburgh,  you  know,  and  hadn't  decided 
where  she  would  pass  her  vacation.  So  I  suppose 
he  went  right  to  her  and  asked  and  she  always  does 
just  what  he  wants.  He  writes  that  she'd  never 

106 


FINNAN  HADDIE  IN  A  GARDEN  107 

visited  Nova  Scotia  nor  Canada  and  was  simply 
delighted  to  come.  She  wouldn't  force  their  so- 
ciety upon  our  party,  oh !  no,  not  for  anything ! 
But  she'll  manage  to  take  the  first  steamer  out  from 
Boston  and  will  go  straight  to  Digby.  We'll  meet 
there;  and  if  Aunt  Lucretia  doesn't  think  a  Stark 
is  good  company  for  a  Breckenridge,  I'll  know  the 
reason  why.  Oh!  fine,  fine." 

"  Oh !  nuisance,  nuisance !  But  come  on !  Your 
father  is  ever  so  far  ahead  and  we'll  have  to  hurry 
to  catch  up." 

They  set  off  upon  a  run  and  for  a  few  minutes 
neither  spoke.  Molly  was  disappointed  that  Dolly 
didn't  "  enthuse,"  and  the  latter  felt  that  a  boy  — 
such  a  boy  —  would  effectually  spoil  the  good  times 
she  and  her  mate  might  have  had  together,  alone. 
Finally,  Molly  asked: 

"  Who  was  your  letter  from  ?  " 

For  answer  and  with  considerable  pride  Dorothy 
drew  James  Barlow's  epistle  from  its  envelope  and 
held  it  toward  her  friend,  saying: 

"  You  can  read  and  see." 

Molly  read  and  returned  the  letter,  with  a  little 
sniff  of  contempt  and  the  remark : 

"  Huh !  The  only  interesting  part  of  that  is  the 
post-script.  It  will  be  just  fine  to  have  those  dogs 
along.  I  suppose  Mrs.  Calvert  sent  them  up  from 
Baltimore  to  Deerhurst.  But  if  I  were  you,  Dolly 
Doodles,  I  wouldn't  let  that  ignoramus  preach  to 
me  like  he  does  to  you  in  that  letter.  He's  a  prig, 
that's  what  he  is,  and  I  hate  a  prig.  So  there." 


io8  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"  No,  he  isn't.  Mr.  Seth  would  say  that  he  had 
only  '  lost  his  head '  for  a  minute.  You  see  poor 
Jim  can't  get  over  the  wonder  of  his  getting  his 
'  chance.'  He's  simply  crazy-wild  over  learning  — 
now.  He  believes  it's  the  only  thing  in  the  world 
worth  while.  He  didn't  mean  to  scold  me.  I  — 
I  guess.  If  he  did  I  don't  mind.  He's  only  Jim. 
He  just  knows  I'll  have  to  take  care  of  my  father 
and  mother,  some  day.  if  our  mineral  spring  and 
mine  don't  pay  better  than  now.  He's  afraid  I'll 
waste  my  '  chance,'  that's  all.  Dear,  faithful  old 
Jim!" 

"Pooh!  Horrid,  pokey  old  Jim,  I  say.  But 
Monty'll  have  some  fun  in  him ;  unless  —  he  thinks 
two  girls  are  poor  company." 

"  I  hope  he  will.  I  hope  he'll  coax  your  father 
and  those  old  '  boys '  to  take  him  with  them  into 
the  woods.  That  might  do  him  some  good  and  take 
the  nonsense  out  of  him." 

"Well,  Dorothy,  I  think  that's  not  a  nice  thing 
for  you  to  say.  You  must  have  forgotten  the  night 
of  the  fire  and  what  he  did  to  help  you.  There 
wasn't  any  *  nonsense '  about  Montmorency  Vava- 
sour-Stark then,  if  you  please !  " 

Instantly  touched  by  this  reminder  and  fully  re- 
gretful for  her  sarcasm  —  though  still  sorry  that  he 
was  coming  —  Dolly  returned : 

"That's  true,  Molly,  honey.  I  did  forget,  just 
for  a  minute.  He's  not  half  bad,  Monty  isn't ;  and 
I  guess  he'll  be  useful  to  climb  trees  and  pick 
cherries  for  us,  or  get  flowers  that  we  can't  reach. 


FINNAN  HADDIE  IN  A  GARDEN  109 

Anyhow,  we're  fairly  dawdling  and  almost  quar- 
reling, and  all  the  time  your  father  is  getting  further 
away.  See !  He's  stopping  before  that  house  ? 
I'll  race  you  to  the  gate !  " 

"  All  right.     One  —  two  —  three  —  go !  " 

It  was  a  charming  little  cottage  before  which  they 
brought  up  at  the  Judge's  side.  Its  front  yard  was 
small,  so  that  the  bay-windows  one  upon  each  side 
the  door,  came  almost  to  the  white  paling  before 
the  grounds;  but  one  could  catch  a  glimpse  of  a 
deep  garden  behind  and  Dorothy's  flower-loving 
soul  was  enchanted  by  it,  even  as  by  the  contents  of 
the  windows. 

"  Oh !  look !  How  lovely !  Did  you  ever  see 
such  Gloxinias  and  Cyclamens?  And  that  Weep- 
ing Fuschia  in  the  other  window !  It  is  gorgeous, 
simply  gorgeous!  But  how  queer,  too,  to  keep 
plants  indoors  as  late  as  this!  and  their  lace  cur- 
tains up,  right  in  the  summer-time !  Are  we  going 
in  here,  Judge  Breckenridge  ?  " 

"  Yes,  indeed.  I  paused  only  to  let  your  rhap- 
sody have  vent,  though  I  really  wish  the  little  mis- 
tress of  this  home  could  have  heard  such  a  spon- 
taneous tribute  to  her  skill  as  a  florist.  You'll  no- 
tice that  peculiarity  all  through  the  Province. 
Window  plants  remain  in  the  windows  all  the  year 
round  and  there  is  scarcely  a  home  that  hasn't  its 
share  of  them  and  its  tiny  conservatory,  such  as  is 
here. 

"  Curtains  ?  I  hadn't  thought  why  they're  up,  but 
maybe  it's  to  keep  out  the  prying  gaze  of  too  eager 


i io  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

'  tourists.'  A  fine  scorn  the  native  always  has  for 
the  average  '  tourist ' —  though  he  has  no  scorn  for 
the  tourist's  cash.  Ah !  Here  she  comes !  " 

At  that  instant  his  summons  upon  the  tiny 
knocker  was  answered  by  the  soft  footfall  of  a 
woman,  and  the  opening  of  the  door  a  narrow  way. 
Then  it  was  as  instantly  flung  wide  and  a  dainty 
little  house-mistress,  white-capped  and  white- 
haired,  extended  two  small,  toil-worn  hands  in 
greeting. 

"  Oh !  Judge  Breckenridge !  You  did  give  me 
such  a  start!  But  I'm  so  glad  to  see  you!  So 
more  than  glad.  Do  step  right  in,  please.  All  of 
you  step  in." 

"  Thank  you,  Mrs.  Cook,  for  your  welcome  and 
your  invitation;  but  we'd  rather  step  right  out  if 
you  don't  mind  ?  " 

"Why  — sir!" 

"  No  lack  of  appreciation,  believe  me.  But  I've 
a  young  lady  here  who  is  '  plumb  crazy  '  over  posies 
and,  coming  along  on  the  steamer,  I  promised  her 
a  glimpse  of  some  of  Yarmouth's  garden  '  cosy  cor- 
ners.' I  know  none  lovelier  than  your  own;  and 
as  for  your  window-plants  —  I'm  afraid  if  we  don't 
take  her  away  from  temptation  she'll  break  the  glass 
and  '  hook  '  one  of  your  *  Gloxamens  '  or  '  Cyclag- 
linias  '  or  — " 

The  lady  laughed  as  merrily  as  a  girl  and  patted 
Dorothy's  shoulder  with  appreciation  of  the  Judge's 
joke.  Then  started  to  lead  the  way  around  the  cot- 
tage into  that  inviting  greenery  behind,  when  a 


FINNAN  HADDIE  IN  A  GARDEN  in 

curious  voice  hindered  her  by  a  pathetic  appeal: 

"  Mamma !  Oh !  Mamma !  Don't  go  and  leave 
poor  Mum!  Quisanthemum  must  go  with 
Mamma !  " 

The  visitors  turned  in  surprise,  toward  this  queru- 
lous "  child "  as  the  girls  fancied  it,  though  the 
Judge  was  already  smiling  his  understanding  of 
the  matter.  Then  there  appeared  in  the  doorway 
a  parrot,  of  wonderful  plumage  and  exaggerated 
awkwardness;  who  waddled  from  side  to  side, 
climbed  one  side  of  its  mistress's  gown  to  her  shoul- 
der and  walked  head-first  down  the  other,  rolling  its 
eyes  and  emitting  the  most  absurd  moans  till  the  two 
girls  were  convulsed  with  laughter. 

Then  Mrs.  Cook  held  out  her  wrist,  the  parrot 
settled  on  it,  and  they  proceeded  to  the  garden ;  the 
lady  explaining : 

"  This  little  Miss  Chrysanthemum  is  a  spoiled 
baby.  She's  only  a  few  months  old,  was  brought 
to  me  by  one  of  my  sailor  friends,  and  about  rules 
the  house  now.  Especially  when  my  boy  is  away." 

As  she  mentioned  her  "  boy "  the  tiny  woman 
looked  rather  anxiously  into  the  Judge's  face;  and 
Dorothy  noticed  that  her  own  was  really  quite 
young,  despite  the  white  hair  and  widow's  cap  which 
crowned  it.  She  thought  the  lady  charming,  she 
was  so  small,  so  delicate  and  quaint.  Yet  there  was 
the  real  "  English  color "  on  her  still  fair  cheek 
and  her  eyes  were  as  bright  a  blue  as  Molly's  own. 

"  Son  told  me  you  would  call.  Also,  Epheraim 
wrote  me  in  his  last  letter;  but  I  had  not  expected 


112  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

you  to-day.  I  thought  you  were  to  be  in  Yar- 
mouth for  a  week  or  more  and  didn't  anticipate  so 
prompt  a  kindness." 

Then  opening  a  little  bag  which  hung  fastened  to 
her  waist,  the  cottager  drew  from  it  a  pair  of  blunt- 
pointed  scissors  and  gave  them  to  Dorothy,  saying: 

"  It's  you  I  see,  who  has  the  keenest  eyes  for 
flowers.  Cut  all  you  want  of  anything  you  fancy  ;  " 
and  she  swept  her  hand  rather  proudly  toward  the 
hedges  of  sweet-peas,  just  coming  into  bloom,  and 
the  magnificent  roses  which  were  earlier  in  her 
protected  garden  than  elsewhere  in  the  town. 

Had  Dorothy  known  it,  this  was  a  rare  privilege 
that  had  been  accorded  her.  Mrs.  Cook  loved  her 
flowers  as  she  did  her  human  friends  and  had  a 
fancy  that  cutting  them  was  almost  as  cruel  as 
wounding  a  person  she  loved.  Until  they  faded  she 
never  cut  them  for  her  own  enjoyment;  and  only 
now  and  then  nerved  herself  to  clip  them  for  the 
cheer  of  some  ailing  neighbor.  She  was  therefore 
greatly  pleased  when  the  girl  returned  the  scissors, 
after  one  questioning  glance  toward  Molly,  as  to  her 
possible  disappointment. 

"  Thank  you,  Mrs.  Cook,  but  I  don't  like  to  do 
that.  They  are  so  lovely  and  look  so  happy  in  this 
beautiful  garden,  I'd  hate  to.  We  shall  be  going, 
I'm  told,  and  they'll  only  be  ruined  for  nothing. 
But,  if  you  please,  I'd  like  to  sit  down  on  these  steps 
and  enjoy  them.  Wouldn't  you,  Molly?  While 
your  father  talks  with  Mrs.  Cook." 

The  steps  belonged  to  a  sort  of  lean-to,  or  out- 


FINNAN  HADDIE  IN  A  GARDEN  113 

door  kitchen.  The  little  addition  was  covered  with 
vines  in  leaf  and  more  sweet-peas  clambered  about 
its  base.  Behind  it  was  the  living-room  with  its 
open  door  and  table  already  set  for  dinner.  A 
savory  odor  issued  thence  and  set  the  girls  to  think- 
ing how  remarkably  hungry  they  were,  despite  their 
late  and  substantial  breakfast.  Also,  to  wondering 
if  Nova  Scotia  air  was  to  whet  their  appetites  this 
way  all  the  time. 

Thought  Molly,  in  especial :  "  If  it  is  I  shall  buy 
me  a  little  bag  to  wear  at  my  waist,  as  Auntie  does, 
and  fill  it  with  crackers." 

Then,  thinking  of  food,  she  "  pricked  up  her 
ears,"  hearing  her  hostess  inviting : 

"  But,  Judge  Breckenridge,  I  would  take  it  the 
highest  honor  if  you  would  share  our  dinner  with 
us.  Of  course,  it  isn't  what  I'd  have  liked  to  have, 
had  I  known.  But  my  husband  used  to  say,  '  Wel- 
come is  the  best  sauce.'  Besides,  if  you're  to  leave 
so  soon  I'll  be  glad  to  talk  over  that  matter  of  which 
I  just  spoke.  I  am  really  so  perplexed  as  to  what 
is  best.  You've  been  so  kind  to  my  brother-in-law, 
Ephraim,  that — " 

She  interrupted  herself  to  laugh  and  observe : 

"  Yet  that's  presumptuous  of  me,  too.  The  fact 
that  you've  been  a  kind  adviser  to  one  of  the  family 
doesn't  form  a  precedent  for  all  the  rest  of  us. 
But,  business  aside,  cannot  you  and  your  daughters 
join  us?  " 

"  Thank  you.  We  will  be  most  happy ;  though  I 
must  set  you  right  on  that  point  —  of  relationship. 


ii4  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

One  is  my  daughter,  the  blonde,  not  the  flower- 
lover  ;  and  one  is  my  temporarily  '  adopted.'  Molly 
and  Dolly  their  names ;  and  two  dearer  little  maids 
you'll  travel  far  to  find." 

"  Aye,  they're  fair  bonny,  and  so  unlike.  Now, 
sit  you  down,  please,  while  I  dish  up ;  and  tell  me,  if 
you  will,  how  does  the  man,  Ephraim?  He  was 
ever  in  fear  of  his  health  but  a  better  one  never 
lived.  After  my  sister  died  —  the  pair  of  us  mar- 
ried brothers  —  he  grew  lost  and  finical.  Nought 
we  could  do  for  him  just  suited  the  man.  It  was 
the  grief,  I  knew.  So,  after  he'd  mumbled  along 
more  years  than  he'd  ought,  fending  for  himself, 
he  crossed  over  to  the  States  and  drifted  south  to 
Richmond  and  you.  'Twas  a  sad  pity  he'd  neither 
son  nor  daughter  to  cheer  him  in  his  widower  life, 
but  so  was  his  Providence.  Mine  has  been  better. 
Son  is  my  hope  and  —  and  my  anxiety.  He's  not 
found  his  right  niche  yet,  poor  lad.  There's  a  love 
of  the  sea  in  him,  like  his  sailor  father;  but  he's 
never  got  over  that  tragedy  of  his  father's  death." 

"  Where  did  that  happen,  Mrs.  Cook  ?  Ephraim 
told  me  he  was  drowned,"  asked  the  visitor,  sympa- 
thetically. 

"  Off  Pollock  Rip  Shoals.  A  bad  and  fearsome 
place  that,  where  many  an  honest  fellow  has  sunk 
to  his  last  sleep."  She  dashed  a  tear  from  her  eye, 
and  laid  her  hand  for  an  instant  upon  her  widow's 
cap.  Then  she  went  on  more  cheerfully,  as  if  time 
had  taught  her  resignation :  "  But  that's  a  gone- 
by.  Son's  future  isn't.  It's  laid  upon  me  by  the 


FINNAN  HADDIE  IN  A  GARDEN  115 

Lord  to  be  both  father  and  mother  to  the  boy  and 
I  must  study  what's  for  his  best,  not  mine. 
Ephraim  wrote  I  was  to  consult  you  who  are  a 
Judge  and  wise.  He  said  in  his  letter  that  he  hadn't 
been  a  sort  of  general-utility-man  in  your  office  thus 
long  without  knowing  it  wasn't  your  best  paying 
clients  that  got  your  best  advice.  That,  wrote 
Ephraim,  came  out  of  your  heart  for  the  widows 
and  orphans.  We're  that,  son  and  I,  and  —  What 
a  garrulous  creature  I  am !  " 

All  the  time  the  little  woman  had  been  talking  she 
had  also  been  preparing  for  the  meal;  and  it  now 
being  ready  to  serve  she  stepped  to  the  rear  door, 
opening  on  the  place  where  the  girls  were  sitting, 
and  announced : 

"  Our  finnan  haddie  and  greens  are  ready,  young 
ladies,  if  you  will  come  and  partake  of  it.  Also, 
lest  you  be  disappointed,  I'll  say  that  there's  a 
'  John's  Delight '  in  the  '  steamer/  and  a  dish  of  the 
best  apples  in  the  Province  for  the  sweeties.  Eh? 
What,  my  dear?" 

To  Dorothy's  utter  amazement  Molly  was  doing  a 
very  rude  thing.  She  had  risen  and  made  her  very 
prettiest  courtesy,  but  had  supplemented  this  act  of 
respect  by  the  petition : 

"  Please,  Mrs.  Cook,  may  we  have  ours  out  here, 
on  these  steps  ?  " 

"  Why,  Molly ! "  cried  her  chum,  in  reproof. 
"  The  idea  of  giving  all  that  trouble !  " 

"  No  trouble  whatever,  but  a  pleasure,"  replied 
the  hostess,  although  she,  also,  was  surprised. 


Ii6  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

Molly  wheeled  upon  Dorothy,  demanding: 

"  Wouldn't  you  like  it  here  ?  Could  you  find  a 
lovelier  place  to  eat  in?  As  for  making  trouble,  I 
don't  want  to  do  that.  I  —  If  Mrs.  Cook  will  just 
put  it  on  one  plate  I'll  fetch  it  here  for  us  both.  It 
would  be  like  a  picnic  in  a  garden;  and  you  could 
stay  here  and  —  and  watch." 

"  Watch  ?  What  am  I  to  watch,  except  these 
beautiful  flowers  ?  "  asked  Dolly,  even  further  sur- 
prised. 

Fortunately  for  Molly  her  father  had  not  over- 
heard her  odd  request  or  she  would  have  received 
reproof  far  more  effectual  than  Dorothy's.  Also, 
Mrs.  Cook  was  hospitality  itself,  and  this  meant 
wishing  her  guests  to  enjoy  themselves  after  the 
manner  they  liked  best. 

As  swiftly  as  either  of  the  girls  could  have  moved, 
she  was  back  in  the  pleasant  living  room,  arranging 
a  tray  with  a  portion  of  the  palatable  dinner  she  had 
provided ;  saying  in  response  to  the  Judge's  inquir- 
ing expression: 

"  We  thought  it  would  be  a  fine  thing,  and  one 
the  lassies  will  long  remember,  to  have  their  Blue- 
nose  dinner  in  a  Bluenose  garden.  For  all  their 
lives  long  they  can  think  of  this  summer  day  and 
my  greenery  yon ;  and,  maybe,  too,  of  the  first  time 
they  ever  ate  '  finnan  haddie  '  and  '  John's  Delight.' 
More  than  that,  it  will  give  us  the  freedom  of 
speech  with  son,  as  it  wouldn't  were  they  sitting  by. 
He's  aye  shy,  is  my  laddie." 

Then  she  carried  out  a  little  table,  set  it  beside 


FINNAN  HADD1E  IN  A  GARDEN  117 

the  steps  and  placed  the  tray  thereon.  After  which 
she  "  Begged  pardon !  "  and  lifted  up  her  gentle 
voice  in  an  appeal  that  sounded  almost  pathetic  in 
its  entreaty. 

"  Son !  Dear  son  Melvin !  Come  now  to  dinner 
with  your  mother !  Son !  SON !  " 

The  last  word  was  spoken  in  a  tone  he  rarely  dis- 
obeyed, and  low-toned  though  it  was,  it  was  so  dis- 
tinctly uttered  that  people  passing  on  the  street 
beyond  heard  it.  So  also  must  he  have  heard  who 
was  summoned,  if  he  was  anywhere  upon  those 
premises  —  as  he  had  been  when  these  guests  ar- 
rived. 

However,  he  did  not  appear ;  and  Mrs.  Cook  and 
the  Judge  sat  down  alone,  while  "  Son  "  for  whom 
that  "  home  dinner "  had  been  specially  prepared 
was  "  fair  famished  "  for  want  of  it. 

Out  upon  the  steps  of  that  lattice-covered,  vine- 
enwrapped  summer-house,  the  two  girls  enjoyed 
their  dinner  greatly.  In  particular  did  mistress 
Molly.  Her  eyes  sparkled,  her  dimples  came  and 
went,  her  smiles  almost  interferred  with  her  eat- 
ing, and  her  whole  behavior  was  so  peculiar  that 
Dorothy  stared.  She  was  puzzled  and  began  to  be 
slightly  disgusted,  and  at  last  remarked: 

"  Why,  honey,  I  never  saw  you  get  so  much  —  so 
much  fun  out  of  your  food.  I've  heard  about  gour- 
mands. I  think  I  can  guess  now  what  they  are  and 
act  like.  Hark!  What's  that  noise?  Kind  of  a 
crackle,  as  if  a  cat  or  something  was  overhead 
among  those  vines.  I  hope  it  isn't.  Cats  love  fish. 


ii8  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

I  always  have  to  shut  up  Lady  Rosalind  when 
Mother  Martha  has  it  for  dinner.  Isn't  '  finnan 
haddie  '  a  queer  name  ?  " 

"  Yes.  I've  heard  Papa  tell  of  it  before.  It's  had- 
dock smoked,  some  sort  of  queer  way.  But  this  is 
nice  —  My !  How  nice  this  is !  Umm,  umm, 
umm !  "  giggled  Molly,  as  if  she  found  something 
most  amusing  in  the  food  she  smaked  her  lips  over 
in  such  a  very  strange  manner. 

"  Well,  Molly  Breckenridge,  one  thing  I  can  say 
for  you.  That  is :  it's  a  good  thing  Miss  Rhinelander 
isn't  here  to  see  you  now.  You  —  you  act  like  a 
little  pig.  Excuse  me,  but  you  really  do." 

"  Cats  do  like  fish.  Maybe  it's  a  cat.  Let's  call 
it  a  cat,  anyway,"  answered  Molly,  in  no  wise  of- 
fended by  her  chum's  plain  speech.  Then  lifting 
her  voice  she  began  to  call :  "  Kitty !  Kitty ! 
Kitty  —  kitty  —  kitty  —  kitty  —  kitty  —  come !  "  as 
fast  as  she  could  speak. 

Just  then  Mrs.  Cook  came  out  to  them  to  remove 
their  plates  and  bring  them  generous  portions  of 
"John's  Delight,"  a  dessert  which  Molly  declared 
was  "  first  cousin  to  a  Christmas  plum  pudding," 
and  over  which  she  was  tempted  to  smack  her  lips 
in  earnest,  not  pretence.  A  momentary  soberness 
touched  her  merry  face,  however,  when  the  hostess 
observed  with  keen  regret: 

"  I  am  so  sorry  Son  isn't  here  to  do  the  honors  of 
this  little  picnic.  I  don't  see  where  he  can  have 
gone.  His  dinner  on  shore  is  always  such  a  pleas- 
ure to  him  and  besides  —  I  wanted  him  to  meet  you 


FINtoAN  HADDIE  IN  A  GARDEN  119 

all  in  a  private  fashion,  not  as  a  bugler  aboard- 
ship." 

"  Maybe  —  maybe  he  is  —  is  doing  the  honors !  " 
said  Molly,  half  choking  over  the  strange  remark. 
"  Maybe  he's  —  he  can  see  —  he's  rather  shy,  isn't 
he  ?  The  sailor  said  they  called  him  the  '  Bashful 
Bugler.'  But  he  —  he  bugles  beautifully,  especially 
first  calls  to  meals  which  a  seasick  girl  can't  eat. 
I—" 

Then  she  stopped  abruptly.  Mrs.  Cook  was 
looking  at  her  with  much  the  same  expression  Dor- 
othy's mobile  face  had  worn;  and  again  from  over- 
head came  that  ominous  crackle  of  breaking  twigs. 
Also,  a  few  crushed  leaves  fluttered  to  the  ground 
and  caused  Dorothy  to  exclaim : 

"  Must  be  a  pretty  big  cat  to  tear  things  like  that. 
Did  you  see  it?  Do  you  suppose  it's  a  wildcat? 
Don't  they  have  all  sorts  of  creatures  in  the  Nova 
Scotia  woods?  Do  you  suppose  it's  wild — " 

"  It  certainly  is.  It's  about  the  wildest  thing  I 
ever  met  —  of  its  size.  Isn't  this  pudding  de- 
licious? If  I  was  a  hungry,  a  sea-starved  cat  how 
angry  I  should  be  to  be  kept  out  of  my  share  of  it 
just  by  a  couple  of  girls.  Girls  are  cats'  natural 
enemies.  Sometimes  girls  eat  cats  —  if  they're  nice, 
purry,  pussy-cats !  Some  cats  have  blue  eyes,  and 
some  —  Why,  Papa!  Are  you  ready?  Going  so 
soon?" 

"  Yes,  dear.  I  can't  wait  any  longer.  I  am 
greatly  disappointed  in  not  seeing  Melvin  again ;  but 
possibly  he  may  run  up  to  the  station  before  the 


120  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

train  starts.  I'll  try  to  be  there  early.  As  early  as  I 
can,  though  I  have  some  little  affairs  here  still  to 
attend  to.  Good  by,  Mrs.  Cook.  I  think  the  plan 
we  have  discussed  is  the  best  all  round.  It  will  be 
a  test,  so  to  speak.  There  is  nothing  like  life  in  the 
woods  together  to  break  down  all  barriers  of  shy- 
ness or  reserve. 

"  Thank  you,  cordially,  for  your  hospitality.  I 
haven't  enjoyed  a  dinner  so  much  in  many  a  day. 
I  will  see  you  again,  if  we  return  this  way,  and  I  will 
keep  you  informed  of  my  address  if  our  plan  falls 
through  and  we  have  to  try  some  other." 

Deeply  moved,  the  little  mother  began  to  utter 
her  own  profuse  thanks;  for  what  the  listening 
girls  did  not  know.  But  these  were  promptly  sup- 
pressed by  the  Judge's  manner  of  saying: 

"  Don't  do  that,  yet,  my  dear  lady.  Wait  and 
prove  Ephraim's  words  are  true.  And  now  good- 
by  again.  I  had  hoped  to  have  you  and  my  sister 
meet,  but  our  unexpected  departure  has  prevented 
that  until  some  more  fortunate  future  day." 

He  raised  his  hat,  bowed  profoundly,  and  walked 
away;  the  girls  making  their  adieus  and  expressing 
their  own  thanks  for  hospitality  received  in  a  man- 
ner which  did  credit  to  Miss  Rhinelander's  training. 
Only  Molly's  cheek  burned  with  an  unusual  blush, 
and  she  did  not  lift  her  eyes  to  Mrs.  Cook's  as 
readily  and  affectionately  as  Dorothy  did. 

The  latter,  indeed,  was  to  receive  a  rare  tribute ; 
for  the  lady  followed  her  to  the  street  and  slipping 
inside  the  front  door  broke  from  her  beautiful 


FINNAN  HADDIE  IN  A  GARDEN  121 

Gloxinias  a  handful  of  blossoms  and  gave  them  to 
the  girl,  saying : 

"  My  dear,  I'm  sure  you  will  appreciate  these ;  and 
I'm  equally  sure  you  and  I  have  much  in  common. 
Good-by.  May  all  good  things  attend  you."  Then 
she  kissed  the  red  lips  which  had  impulsively  kissed 
her  and  watched  them  all  out  of  sight. 

But  she  did  not  kiss  Molly;  and  though  that 
young  person  would  not  have  expected  such  a 
caress,  she  was  for  an  instant  jealous  of  that  be- 
stowed upon  Dorothy. 

The  Judge  waited  for  them  to  join  him  and  taking 
a  hand  of  each,  in  his  fatherly  fashion,  remarked: 

"  I  find  that  sailor's  widow  a  very  charming 
woman  and  a  perfect  hostess.  No  apologies  for 
what  she  had  to  offer,  though  in  her  heart  a  slight 
regret  that  it  was  not  of  some  sort  more  expensive. 
A  pity  Melvin  didn't  appear.  I  would  have  liked 
to  study  him  in  his  mother's  presence.  One  can 
always  tell  what  a  boy  is  by  the  way  he  treats  his 
mother ;  and  I  wasn't  pleased  that  he  so  disregarded 
her  call  to  dinner,  because  she  said  he  had  been  there 
when  I  knocked  and  after  we  had  entered  the  garden 
itself." 

A  sudden  comprehension  of  the  state  of  things 
flashed  through  Dorothy's  mind,  and  she  turned  her 
eyes  inquiringly  toward  Molly,  who  flushed,  hesi- 
tated, and  finally  burst  forth: 

"  He  couldn't  come,  Papa  dear,  because  —  be- 
cause I  wouldn't  let  him!  He  got  caught  in  the 
trap  of  his  own  horrid  bashfulness." 


122  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

Somehow  Molly  was  no  longer  giggling,  as  she 
had  been  at  intervals  ever  since  they  reached  the 
cottage.  Things  didn't  look  as  "  funny  "  as  they 
had  a  few  minutes  before;  nor  was  she  pleased  to 
have  the  Judge  stop  short  on  the  path  and  demand : 

"  Explain  yourself,  daughter." 

"  Why  it's  easy  enough.  When  that  Melvin  boy, 
that  bugler,  saw  us  coming  to  that  porch  he  was 
scared  stiff.  He  just  looked  at  us  a  second,  then 
scrambled  up  that  lattice-work  to  the  top  of  that 
arbor  or  whatever  it  is,  and  —  course  he  had  to 
stay  there.  That's  why  I  sat  down  on  those  steps. 
Why  I  wanted  my  dinner  out  there.  Oh !  it  was  the 
funniest  thing !  A  great  big  boy  like  him  to  stay  up 
on  such  an  uncomfortable  place  just  because  two 
girls  whom  he'll  never  see  again  had  sat  down  be- 
neath him.  Of  course,  he'd  have  to  pass  us  to 
answer  his  mother's  call  to  dinner;  and  he'd  rather 
go  without  that  than  do  it.  Oh !  it  was  too  funny 
for  words !  And  when  the  leaves  fell  Dolly  thought 
it  was  the  '  cat.'  She  wondered  if  it  was  a  '  wild- 
eat,'  and  I  said  '  yes,  it  was  wild ! '  Oh !  dear !  I 
was  so  amused !  " 

Dorothy  laughed.  To  her  the  affair  had  also  its 
"  too  funny  "  side,  now  that  she  understood  it.  But 
the  Judge  did  not  laugh.  If  he  felt  any  secret 
amusement  at  the  girlish  prank  he  did  not  betray  it 
in  his  expression,  which  was  the  sternest  his  daugh- 
ter had  ever  seen  when  bent  upon  her  idolized  self. 

"  Well,  Molly,  you  certainly  have  distinguished 
yourself.  The  joke  which  might  have  been  harm- 


FINNAN  HADDIE  IN  A  GARDEN  123 

less  under  some  circumstances  was  an  abominable 
rudeness  under  these.  I  am  ashamed  of  you.  I 
shall  expect  you  to  write  a  note  of  apology  to  Mrs. 
Cook,  before  you  leave  Yarmouth.  And  as  for 
never  seeing  Melvin  again,  let  me  set  you  right. 
I  have  invited  the  lad  to  join  us  for  our  entire 
summer  vacation.  Understand?" 

Alas!  She  understood  but  too  well.  Yet  if  a 
bomb  had  exploded  at  her  feet  she  could  hardly 
have  been  more  astonished. 


CHAPTER  VIII 

DOROTHY    AND   THE    BASHFUL    BUGLER 

THE  main  street  of  pretty  Digby  runs  close  to  the 
water.  The  bluff  is  crowned  by  a  grassy  sward  and 
a  row  of  well-grown  trees,  with  a  driveway  between 
these  and  the  buildings  on  the  further  side. 

"  Oh !  how  lovely  and  how  different  from  our  own 
seaside  places,  with  their  hot  sands,  board  walks, 
and  cityfied  shops.  I  hope  no  board  walk  will  ever 
spoil  this  charming  boulevard ! "  exclaimed  a  lady, 
who  stood  at  a  hotel  window  overlooking  Annapolis 
Basin,  on  whose  shore  nestles  the  little  town. 

"  Yes,  Mamma !  Aren't  you  glad  you  came  ?  " 
asked  Monty  Stark,  entering  the  room  and  joining 
her  at  the  window. 

"  I  hope  I  shall  be,  dear.  I'm  a  little  anxious 
about  your  friends.  I  should  greatly  object,  my- 
self, to  having  people  force  themselves  upon  a  tour- 
ing party  I  had  organized.  But  you  must  under- 
stand, Montmorency,  that  if  I  discover  the  slightest 
sign  of  objection  to  us,  I  shall  go  on  my  own  way 
and  you  will  have  to  go  with  me.  I  —  I  am  not 
accustomed  to  being  patronized  or  —  no  matter.  I 

124 


DOROTHY  AND  THE  BUGLER  125 

came  to  please  you,  my  precious  boy,  and  I  hope  it 
will  be  all  right.  Let  me  see  if  you  are  quite  cor- 
rect. I  suppose  the  guests  wear  evening  dress  for 
dinner  as  in  other  civilized  places.  Though  —  it 
looks  more  like  a  country  village  yonder,  than  a 
real  watering  place." 

"  But,  Mamma,  it  is  a  country  village.  Nothing 
else,  the  Judge  says.  And  somehow  I  feel  rather 
silly  in  this  rig.  I  saw  the  Judge  a  moment  ago 
and  he  wasn't  in  evening  clothes,  but  he's  a  '  brick  ' 
all  right!" 

"  Montmorency !  How  can  you  use  such  dread- 
ful expressions  ?  " 

"  Easy  as  preaching,  chere  Maman !  " 

"  I'm  afraid  your  associates  at  Brentnor  are  not 
all  of  them  as  refined  and  exclusive  as  I  had  sup- 
posed. I've  observed  other  phrases  that  I  do  not 
like.  One  of  them  was,  I  think,  *  Shucks ! ' ! 

"  Yes,  I  reckon  you  did.  I  didn't  catch  that  from 
a  Brentnor,  though,  but  from  Jim  Barlow." 

"Who  is  he,  pray?" 

"  Blest  if  I  can  tell  or  he  either.  He  hails  from 
a  poorhouse.  He  was  '  bound  out '  to  a  woman 
truck  farmer.  He's  been  '  taken  up  by  Mrs.  Cecil 
Somerset-Calvert,  of  Baltimore,  and  lots  of  other 
places.  A  lady  that's  so  rich  she  has  homes  in  ever 
so  many  different  parts  of  the  country.  But  better 
than  that  he's  a  '  trump,'  a  life-saver,  a  scholar,  and 
—  a  gentleman !  One  of  '  Nature's  '  you  know. 
Would  like  to  have  you  meet  him  because  he's  my 
present  chum ;  that  is,  he  would  be  if  —  if  we  lived 


126  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

in  the  same  house  and  could  be.  But  unfortunately, 
<  he  has  agreed  to  do  '  chores '  for  a  parson  in  pay- 
ment for  his  instruction  in  Greek  and  all  the 
'  ologies."  He's  off  on  a  tramp  now,  '  hoofing  it/ 
as  he  elegantly  expresses  it,  for  a  vacation.  He's 
taken  the  parson  and  a  couple  of  dogs  along  for 
company.  The  parson's  a  trotting  tramper,  too. 
Maybe  you've  read  some  of  his  delightful  articles  in 
the  magazines.  Eh?  What?  Too  much  for  you, 
Mamma?  Well,  never  mind.  I'll  quit  now,  for 
there  goes  the  last  bell  for  dinner.  Allow  me?  " 

Bowing  and  offering  his  arm  Monty  conducted 
his  richly  clad  mother  toward  the  dining-room, 
whither  a  crowd  of  tourists  were  hastening.  These 
were  garbed  in  any  sort  of  comfortable  traveling 
clothes,  the  women  mostly  in  white  shirt-waists  such 
as  Mrs.  Stark  would  have  disdained  even  for  morn- 
ing wear  at  home.  The  men  looked  as  if  they  had 
just  come  from  a  dusty  train,  a  too-fragrant  fishing 
boat,  or  a  rough  camp  in  the  woods;  and  at  the 
foot  of  the  stairs  the  fashionable  Mrs.  Stark  paused 
in  a  sort  of  dismay. 

For  an  instant,  too,  she  had  an  odd  feeling  as  if 
it  were  she  who  had  made  a  mistake,  not  those 
groups  of  merry,  hungry  holiday-makers,  who  el- 
bowed one  another  good  naturedly,  in  order  to  find 
a  seat  at  the  crowded  tables.  Mrs.  Stark  wasn't 
used  to  elbowing  or  being  elbowed,  and  she  gath- 
ered her  silken  train  in  her  hand  to  preserve  it  from 
contact  with  the  oil-cloth  covered  floor  of  the  lobby, 
while  her  face  gathered  an  expression  of  real  alarm. 


DOROTHY  AND  THE  BUGLER  127 

"  Why,  my  dear  son !  We  can't  stay  here,  you 
know !  It  is  simply  impossible  to  hobnob  with  such 
—  such  queer  persons.  We  must  seek  another  ho- 
tel at  once.  I'll  step  into  that  room  yonder  which 
is  the  '  parlor '  probably,  and  you  summon  the  pro- 
prietor. I  —  I  am  not  accustomed  to  this  want 
of  courtesy  and  —  indeed,  dear,  I  am  greatly  dis- 
pleased with  you.  You  painted  the  trip  in  such 
glowing  colors  I  — " 

"  But,  Mamma,  don't  the  colors  glow  ?  Did  you 
ever  see  anything  in  your  life  lovelier  than  this 
glimpse  of  the  Annapolis  Basin,  with  the  moonlight 
on  it,  the  great  peaks  and  cliffs  beyond?  I'm  sorry 
if  you're  disappointed  but  you  didn't  seem  to  be  up 
in  your  room,  looking  out.  As  for  changing  hotels 
we'd  simply  '  hop  out  of  the  frying  pan  into  the 
fire,'  since  this  is  the  best  one  in  the  town.  Else 
Judge  Breckenridge  wouldn't  have  come  here." 

"  Monty,  dear !  Such  phrases  again !  Is  that 
another  lesson  learned  from  the  poorhouse  boy  ?  " 

"  No,  indeedy !  I  caught  that  from  Alfaretta 
Babcock.  She  of  the  retrousse  nose  and  simple 
speech.  A  royal  sort  of  girl,  too,  is  Alfy;  first  of 
the  alphabetical  Babcock  sisters.  The  second  is  — 
But  come,  Mamma.  We're  in  for  it  and  I  don't 
want  to  go  to  bed  hungry,  even  if  you  do.  I'm 
afraid,  Mother  mine,  that  there's  been  too  much  '  de 
luxe'  in  your  life  and  I  shall  have  to  reconstruct 
you." 

His  mirthful  face  provoked  her  to  laughter 
despite  her  real  vexation  and  fortunately,  at  that 


128  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

moment,  Mrs.  Hungerford  entered  the  room  and 
advanced  to  Mrs.  Stark  with  extended  hand  and  the 
warmest  of  greetings. 

"  This  is  Monty's  mother,  I'm  sure.  I  am  Molly's 
Auntie  Lu.  We  exist  I  fancy,  for  our  respective 
youngsters  and  mine  discovered  you  through  the 
doorway  of  the  dining-room  and  commissioned  me 
to  fetch  you.  We've  had  seats  reserved  for  you  at 
our  table  in  the  corner  and  I  apologize  for  not  hunt- 
ing you  up  earlier.  The  truth  is  we  were  out  driv- 
ing until  the  last  moment  and  were  greatly  hur- 
ried ourselves.  So,  of  course,  we  were  none  of  us 
here  when  the  train  came  in  and  I  did  not  know  you 
had  arrived.  Shall  we  go  now?  You  will  find 
that  people  grow  desperately  hungry  when  they 
first  come  into  this  bracing  air,  and  with  the  best 
intentions  in  the  world,  the  proprietor  isn't  always 
able  to  provide  enough  for  such  clamorous  appe- 
tites. My  brother  says  that  explains  the  rather 
rude  crowding  to  get  '  first  table,'  and  that  our 
remedy  lies  in  doing  a  bit  of  crowding  ourselves. 
I  rather  enjoy  it,  already,  though  we  only  came 
here  yesterday.  Did  you  have  a  pleasant  trip  ?  " 

"  No,  I  did  not.  I  was  never  on  such  a  poor 
steamer  before.  Fortunately  I  wasn't  ill  and  it's  not 
a  long  sail  from  Boston  across.  Is  it  really  true, 
as  Montmorency  tells  me,  that  there  is  no  better 
hotel  than  this  ?  "  returned  the  other,  rising  to  fol- 
low Auntie  Lu. 

Since  Monty  had  said  that  he  was  hungry,  of 
course,  she  would  stay  for  that  one  meal  and  let  him 


"HELLO  SNACKENBERG! 
Dorothy's  Travels. 


HERE  AM  I!     GIVE  ME  A  RIDE?" 


DOROTHY  AND  THE  BUGLER  129 

get  comfortable.  Afterward  —  she  would  follow 
her  own  judgment. 

But  she,  also,  was  gently  bred  and  born,  and 
despite  a  lack  of  plain  common  sense  was  an  agree- 
able person  in  the  main.  She  had  responded  to 
Mrs.  Hungerford's  greeting  with  a  correct  society 
manner;  and  now,  as  she  followed  toward  the  din- 
ing-room, she  bestowed  upon  that  lady's  back  a 
keenly  critical  survey.  She  saw  that  Aunt  Lucretia 
was  well  but  simply  gowned  in  white,  She  was 
immaculately  fresh,  and  fragrant  from  her  bath 
with  a  faint  odor  of  violets  about  her  that  pleased 
rather  than  offended  nostrils  which  habitually  ob- 
jected to  "  perfumery  "  as  something  common  and 
vulgar. 

Her  gown  might  have  been  expensive  but  did 
not  look  so  and  was  eminently  more  fit  for  an  even- 
ing dinner  in  a  tourists'  hotel  than  the  elaborate 
costume  of  Mrs.  Stark. 

Though  she  had  been  but  twenty-four  hours  in 
the  place,  Auntie  Lu  had  already  adapted  herself  to 
it  completely,  and  smiled  away  the  services  of  a 
rather  frightened  head-waitress  new  to  her  busi- 
ness, as  she  threaded  her  way  toward  that  distant 
corner  of  the  crowded  room  where  her  own  table 
overlooked  the  water. 

A  little  hush  fell  over  the  adjoining  tables  as 
Mrs.  Stark's  elegance  bore  down  upon  them  in 
her  majestic  way.  She  was  portly  and  heavy- 
motioned,  as  poor  Monty  was  apt  to  be  when  he 
should  arrive  at  her  age;  and  chairs  had  to  be 


130  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

drawn  in  closer,  feet  tucked  under  them,  and  heads 
bent  forward  as  she  passed  by. 

As  for  the  youth  in  her  train  misery  and  morti- 
fication shone  on  his  chubby  countenance.  For  a 
boy  he  had  been  absurdly  fond  of  dress,  but  he  had 
also  a  keen  sense  of  what  was  fit  and  he  knew  his 
present  costume  was  not  that.  However,  all  this 
trivial  unpleasantness  passed,  as  the  entering  pair 
were  greeted  by  the  rest  of  the  party.  The  Judge 
still  wore  a  business  suit  but  his  manner,  as  he 
rose  to  be  presented  to  Mrs.  Stark  was  so  polished 
and  correct  that  her  spirits  revived,  thinking: 

"  Well,  the  people  are  all  right,  if  the  place 
isn't." 

She  acknowledged  Miss  Isobel's  greeting  with  a 
slight  haughtiness,  such  as  she  felt  was  due  a  so- 
cial inferior.  Upon  Molly  she  bestowed  an  admir- 
ing smile  and  glance;  and  upon  Dorothy  a  rather 
perfunctory  one.  The  girl  might  also  be  "  poor- 
house  born  "  for  aught  anybody  knew,  and  from 
contact  with  such  her  "  precious  lamb  "  was  to  be 
well  protected.  She  intended  to  see  to  it  that 
further  intercourse  between  her  son  and  that 
"  tramp,"  Jim  Barlow,  should  be  prevented  also ; 
and  while  she  marvelled  that  "  the  Breckenridges  " 
should  make  much  of  the  girl,  as  apparently  they 
did,  it  wasn't  necessary  that  she  should  do  the  same. 
Monty  had  told  her  all  about  each  member  of  the 
party  so  that  Dorothy's  story  was  familiar  to  her. 
The  lad  had  concluded  his  recital  with  the  words: 

"  She's  the  bravest,  sincerest  girl  in  the  world. 


DOROTHY  AND  THE  BUGLER  131 

She's  braver  than  Molly  Breckenridge,  and  I  like 
her  immensely.  All  the  boys  at  Brentnor  think 
she's  fine,  and  we  all  hope  some  grand  romance  will 
come  out  of  the  facts  of  her  parentage.  She  doesn't 
come  of  any  illiterate,  common  stock,  Mamma. 
You  may  be  sure  of  that.  So  I  hope  you'll  be  nice 
and  not  —  not  too  Stark-ish  toward  her,  please !  " 

So  this  was  the  girl  who  had  saved  life.  Of  that 
grim  teacher  opposite  and,  later,  of  a  farmer's  son 
out  of  a  tree  where  he  was  hanging.  Very  cred- 
itable, of  course,  though  it  couldn't  affect  herself, 
Mrs.  Ebenezer  Vavasour-Stark,  and  she  fixed  her 
attention  elsewhere. 

It  was  due  to  the  Judge  that  she  altered  her  opin- 
ion of  her  present  quarters  so  far  as  to  decide  upon 
remaining  in  them;  and  to  make  the  best  of  the 
whole  trip,  "  which  you  know  is  but  a  prolonged 
picnic.  As  for  air  and  health  and  strength,  you 
could  find  nothing  better  the  world  over,  my  dear 
Madam,"  he  had  said. 

After  that  first  dinner  also  she  had  a  talk  with 
her  son ;  which  resulted  in  his  displaying  a  common 
sense  that  did  him  credit. 

"  Look  here,  Mamma.  Let's  just  pack  all  these 
over-fine  togs  in  the  trunks  and  leave  them  here 
to  be  sent  to  us  when  wanted.  All  we  shall  need, 
I  fancy,  is  a  suit-case  a-piece  with  the  plainest 
things  we  own.  Even  that  '  fancy  '  hunter's  suit 
I  bought  is  ridiculous.  The  Judge  uses  the  oldest 
sort  of  things  — "  regular  rags,"  Molly  says ;  and  I 
—  I  may  be  a  fool  but  I  don't  like  to  look  like  one ! 


132  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

Do  it,  Mamma,  to  please  me.  And  let's  put  our 
'  society '  manners  into  the  trunks  with  the  clothes. 
Let's  live,  for  these  few  weeks,  as  if  we  were  real 
poor  —  as  poor  as  Dolly  or  Miss  Greatorex.  I 
don't  believe  even  that  lady  has  any  money  to 
speak  of  and  as  for  Dorothy,  she  hasn't  a  cent.  Not 
a  cent." 

"  How  do  you  know  that,  Montmorency  ?  Are 
you  on  such  intimate  terms  with  that  foundling  that 
she  confides  the  state  of  her  finances  to  you?  If 
so,  she  is  probably  hinting  for  presents." 

"  Umm.  Might  be.  Didn't  look  like  it  though 
when  I  proposed  just  now  to  buy  her  one  of  those 
Indian  baskets  on  sale  in  the  lobby.  She  wouldn't 
take  one,  though  Molly  took  all  I  wanted  to  give  — 
and  more.  That  girl  hasn't  any  scruples  about 
having  a  good  time  and  letting  anybody  pay  that 
wants  to." 

"  That,  son,  is  a  proof  of  good  birth  and  breeding, 
she  has  always  been  accustomed  to  having  her  wants 
supplied  and  takes  it  as  a  matter  of  course.  But, 
Monty  darling,  you  must  be  good  to  Mamma.  She 
doesn't  feel  as  if  she  had  come  to  a  '  Paradise  of  a 
place,'  as  you  told  me  I  would  find  it.  Yet  if  it 
pleases  you  to  see  your  mother  dressed  like  a  servant 
why,  of  course,  for  your  sake  I'll  consent.  But  I 
warn  you,  no  skylarking  with  underbred  people  or 
I  shall  take  you  straight  home." 

This  little  conversation  shows  that  Mrs.  Hunger- 
ford  was  right  when  she  informed  her  brother  on 
that  same  evening: 


DOROTHY  AND  THE  BUGLER  133 

"  We  made  a  blunder  when  we  allowed  the  Starks 
to  join  our  personal  party.  They  fit  into  it  about 
as  well  as  a  round  peg  in  a  square  hole.  The 
woman  —  Well,  she  may  be  high-born  and  rich  but 
I  don't  want  our  Molly  to  copy  her  notions.  She's 
not  nice,  either,  to  poor  Miss  Isobel  nor  Dorothy. 
The  result  is  that  Miss  Greatorex  has  grown  more 
difficult  and  '  stiff '  than  she  was  in  the  beginning. 
Such  a  pity  when  she's  just  begun  to  get  softer  and 
more  human ! " 

In  his  heart  the  Judge  was  not  over-pleased  by 
this  untoward  opening  of  the  new  association,  but 
he  wouldn't  admit  it  to  her.  He  merely  said: 

"  I'm  sorry  if  you're  going  to  let  the  prejudices 
of  silly  women  spoil  your  own  vacation.  Don't  do 
it.  Just  remember  what  you  often  say,  that  human 
nature  is  the  same  everywhere.  We  have  the  pride 
of  wealth  to  contend  with  on  one  hand  and  the  pride 
of  poverty  on  the  other ;  but  beneath  each  sort  of 
pride  lies  an  honest  heart.  I  believe  it,  and  that  we 
shall  yet  see  these  two  opposing  elements  merged 
in  a  warm  friendship.  Watch  for  it.  It  takes  all 
sorts  of  people  to  make  a  world  and  another  sort 
will  be  added,  to-morrow,  when  Melvin  joins  us. 
Throw  in  the  college  Prex,  the  millionaire  financier, 
and  surgeon  Mantler,  and  we  shall  have  a  miniature 
world  of  our  own  in  our  traveling  mates." 

"  Schuyler,  you  haven't  told  me  yet  what  part 
that  lad  Melvin  is  to  play  in  this  '  world.'  Why 
did  you  ask  him  ?  " 

"  To  test  him,  Lu,  nothing  else.     His  mother  is 


134  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

anxious  he  should  make  a  man  of  himself  and  isn't 
sure  how  best  he  can.  She  permitted  him  to  take 
a  bugler's  place  on  the  '  Prince '  because  he  wanted 
to  try  a  sea-faring  life.  Two  seasons  of  it,  even 
under  the  comfortable  conditions  of  a  passenger 
steamship,  has  sickened  him  of  that.  He  fancied 
he  could  be  a  musician  and  has  talent  sufficient  only 
to  '  bugle.'  Now  he  wants  to  see  the  world,  though 
he  didn't  dream  I  was  to  offer  him  a  chance.  She 
thinks  he  would  make  a  good  lawyer,  and  so  his 
uncle  Ephraim  thinks.  Her  pastor  thinks  he  ought 
to  be  a  minister ;  and  the  only  point  upon  which  all 
his  friends  and  himself  agree  is  that  he  should  not 
spend  all  his  days  in  '  Ya'mouth.'  I'm  going  to  take 
him  to  camp  with  me,  to  act  as  handy-man  for 
all  of  us.  That  will  give  me  a  chance  to  see  what 
stuff  he's  made  of;  and  if  he's  worth  it  —  if  he's 
worth  it  —  I'll  take  him  down  to  Richmond  and 
set  him  at  the  law. 

"  Molly,  however,  must  let  him  alone.  That  girl 
can  upset  more  plans  than  the  wisest  man  can 
lay;  and  if  she  gets  to  teasing  him  on  account  of 
his  strange  bashfulness  she'll  scare  him  away  from 
us  and  disappoint  his  mother's  tender  heart.  She 
thinks  that  '  son  '  is  a  paragon  of  all  the  virtues. 
So  does  this  other  mother  who's  just  joined  us, 
think  of  her  beloved  Montmorency  Vavasour-Stark. 
What  a  name !  Between  them  and  their  '  laddies  ' 
I  reckon  I  shall  have  less  peace  than  from  the  wild- 
est of  tricksy  Molly's  capers." 

"  Schuyler,  you  mustn't  be  hard  on  her.     She's 


DOROTHY  AND  THE  BUGLER  135 

exactly  like  what  you  were  at  her  age!  And  she 
is  the  dearest  child,  you  know  it !  " 

"  I  must  have  been  what  you  call  '  a  sweet  thing/ 
then !  But,  of  course,  she's  my  own  '  crow,'  there- 
fore she's  pure  white,"  laughed  the  adoring  father, 
with  more  earnest  than  jest. 

"  Also,  brother,  in  all  your  plans  for  others  don't 
forget  little  Dorothy's.  I  know  you're  busy  but 
I  must  find  out  who  her  own  people  are.  I  must. 
It's  a  sin  and  a  heartless  one  to  keep  her  young 
heart  longer  in  suspense.  I  know  she  often  ponders 
the  thing,  in  spite  of  her  cheerfulness,  even 
gayety." 

To  which  he  returned: 

"  Don't  attribute  more  pondering  to  her  than  be- 
longs. Of  the  two  I  fancy  you  do  the  most  of  that. 
Nor  think  I've  forgotten  her  interests.  Her  his- 
tory is  already  being  unravelled,  thread  by  thread, 
and  stitch  by  stitch.  When  the  thread's  wound 
clear  up  I  trust  it  may  make  a  goodly  ball." 

"Oh!  my  dear  brother,  what  do  you  mean?" 
cried  Aunt  Lucretia,  eagerly. 

"  I  mean  that  I  set  old  Ephraim  Cook  to  the  task. 
He's  already  down  at  Annapolis,  fairly  burrowing 
in  archives  and  genealogies,  and  the  skeleton  closets 
of  all  our  old  Maryland  families.  It's  the  most  con- 
genial task  he  ever  undertook  in  all  his  generally- 
useful  life ;  for  back  here  in  '  Markland '  he's  long 
ago  prepared  a  history  of  the  peninsula  that  de- 
serve publishing.  He  can  trace  every  Blue-nose 
household  to  its  very  beginning,  and  claims  his 


136  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

own  came  to  this  side  the  sea  in  the  Mayflower. 
That's  one  reason  he  wants  Melvin,  the  last  of  his 
race,  to  make  a  name  for  it.  Trust  me  he'll  forage 
for  our  Dorothy  better  than  I  could  myself ;  but  he 
isn't  to  disturb  us  with  letters  of  theories  or 
'maybes.'  When  he  gets  his  facts  —  hurrah  for 
the  denoument!  Now,  dear,  to  your  rest.  The 
burdens  of  a  peacemaker  rest  on  your  shoulders 
but  —  you'll  make  and  keep  the  peace.  Good 
night" 

After  all,  when  the  sun  rose  on  the  following 
morning  and  this  oddly  assorted  traveling  party 
met  to  discuss  the  day's  plans,  each  was  so  rested 
and  refreshed  that  an  abnormal  amiability  pervaded 
the  whole  group. 

"  What  would  you  like  to  do  best?  "  "  Oh,  no! 
You  say ! "  "  I'm  sure  whatever  the  rest  propose 
will  be  agreeable  to  me  in  the  way  of  sight-seeing." 
"  Or  even  staying  quietly  at  the  hotel  and  just  en- 
joying the  outlook  on  the  sea." 

Such  were  the  remarks  exchanged  and  with  such 
suavity  of  manner  that  Molly  clapped  her  hands  and 
cried : 

"  I  declare,  you're  all  too  sweet  to  be  wholesome ! 
And  it  happens  that  I  know  what  /  want  to  do,  even 
if  you  don't.  Let's  go  away  down  to  the  end,  I 
mean  the  beginning,  of  the  town  where  they  are  cur- 
ing fish.  I  saw  them  from  the  car  window,  and 
even  then  they  were  so  interesting.  I  mean  the 
fish  were.  Or  —  or  the  things  where  they  fixed 
them.  And,  beg  pardon,  Mrs.  Stark,  even  if  you 


DOROTHY  AND  THE  BUGLER  137 

looked  at  that  water  all  day  long  you  couldn't  make 
it  into  a  '  sea.'  It's  only  a  Basin,  the  fag  end  of 
Annapolis  Basin.  Yonder,  where  there  are  so  many 
sails  and  steamers,  is  the  Bay  of  Fundy,  and  to  get 
to  the  really  truly  sea  you  must  go  beyond  that. 
The  reason  I'm  so  wise,  if  you  want  to  know,  is  that 
I've  been  here  twenty-four  hours  longer  than  you 
and  I  improved  my  time  by  asking  questions." 

With  that  the  little  maid  swept  her  new  acquaint- 
ance a  courtesy  and  smiled  so  sweetly  that  any  pre- 
sumption on  her  girlish  part  was  readily  forgiven. 
Besides  she  was  a  Breckenridge ;  and  though  Mrs. 
Stark  had  now  resolved  to  be  as  "  democratic  "  as 
her  new  friends  were  it  was  easier  resolved  than 
practiced.  If  it  had  been  Dorothy  who  ventured 
to  plan  for  her  elders  her  suggestions  would  have 
been  coolly  ignored. 

The  Judge  drew  near  in  time  to  hear  the  end  of 
the  talk  and  added: 

"  That  is  a  sight  we  won't  meet  elsewhere  in  the 
same  proportion  as  here.  Also,  the  walk  will  do 
us  good,  and  we  shall  pass  the  postoffice  on  our 
way.  I  like  going  for  my  own  mail  to  the  '  general 
delivery '  better  than  having  it  sent  to  the  hotel. 
I  like  the  mingling  with  the  eager  crowd  that  waits 
before  the  little  window  to  ask :  '  Anything  for 
me  ?  '  I  like  to  watch  the  faces  of  the  people  when 
they  open  their  letters.  One  can  guess  the  '  home  ' 
ones  by  the  expression  of  joy  and  the  merely 
friendly  by  the  indifference.  I  like — " 

"  Dear  Schuyler,  spare  us !     If  there's  anything 


138  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

upon  earth  you  don't  like  that's  even  half-way 
interesting  I  can't  guess  it."  Then  turning  to  Mrs. 
Stark,  Mrs.  Hungerford  added :  "  Brother  is  like 
a  boy  when  he  gets  leave  of  absence,  this  way. 
Suppose  you  walk  along  with  him  and  find  out 
if  there  is  anything  he  doesn't  like  along  the 
way." 

Her  brother  gave  her  an  arch  glance.  Evidently 
she  had  begun  her  peaceful  adjustment  of  "  as- 
sorted "  temperaments  by  assigning  himself  to  Mrs. 
Stark's  escort,  though  she  knew  all  the  time  that  he 
wanted  to  be  with  the  youngsters.  She  placed  her- 
self along  side  Miss  Isobel,  smiling  at  that  lady's  in- 
quiry if  she  were  going  into  a  public  street  without 
a  hat. 

"  Surely.  '  When  in  Rome  do  as  the  Romans 
do,'  you  remember.  And  see.  Though  most  of  the 
people  have  on  some  sort  of  wrap  very  few  women 
are  bonneted  and  even  the  men  carry  their  hats  in 
hand.  Brother  has  snatched  his  off  already." 

The  Judge  was  in  front,  attentively  courteous  and 
listening  to  Mrs.  Stark's  remarks,  yet  seemed  to 
have  eyes  In  the  back  of  his  head ;  for  presently  he 
asked : 

"  What  are  you  youngsters  lagging  behind  for  ? 
Dolly,  take  Melvin  under  your  shelter  and  make 
him  tell  you  everything  you  want  to  know  about 
Digby.  He's  been  here  before  many  times,  I've 
learned.  And  Molly,  you  and  Monty  walk  ahead  if 
you  please.  I  like  to  keep  my  eye  on  my  own  and 
I  fancy  Mrs.  Stark  does  too." 


DOROTHY  AND  THE  BUGLER  139 

Separated  from  these  two,  who  had  been  in  the 
rear  of  the  whole  party,  Melvin  did  exert  himself 
to  overcome  his  abnormal  shyness  and  to  talk ;  and 
when  after  proceeding  a  little  way  and  his  finding 
Dorothy  eagerly  observant  of  even  the  most  trivial 
things  that  were  new  to  her,  he  had  an  abrupt 
burst  of  courage  —  or  was  it  a  harmless  spite 
against  his  tormentor  of  the  day  before,  Molly? 
Whatever  it  was  that  emboldened  him,  he  sud- 
denly laid  his  hand  on  her  arm  and  said: 

"Wait  just  a  minute!  There  comes  a  man  I 
know.  He's  a  transplanted  Yarmouthian  who's 
moved  to  Digby  to  '  haul '  for  his  livelihood.  He'll 
be  glad  to  see  me  and  hear  the  news  from  home ;  and 
won't  want  to  waste  time  in  doing  it.  I'll  ask  him 
to  give  us  a  ride.  I  don't  believe  either  of  you 
girls  from  the  States  ever  did  ride  in  such  an  equi- 
page." 

She  had  paused  as  he  wished  and  was  listening  in 
surprise.  As  much  because  he  talked  so  well  and 
so  easily  as  at  the  really  joyous  tone  in  which  he 
hailed  his  uncouth  acquaintance  from  "  Home." 

"  Hello,  Snackenberg !  Here  am  I !  Give  me  a 
ride?" 

"Well,  well,  well!  Son  of  all  the  Cooks! 
What  you  doin'  here  ?  Allowed  you  was  sailin'  the 
'  blue  and  boundless '  just  about  now ! "  cried  the 
teamster  and  leaning  forward  shook  the  lad  so 
heartily  by  his  own  hard  hand  that  Melvin  squealed 
and  protested : 

"  Well,  we  can't  stand  here,  you  know.     I'll  just 


140  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

help  this  young  lady  in  —  she's  from  the  States  — 
and  you  can  jog  on." 

The  team  was  of  the  sort  that  is  always  willing 
to  stop,  and  the  "  equipage  "  was  easily  entered  by 
merely  stepping  into  its  open  rear.  It  swung  low 
to  the  ground,  after  the  fashion  of  Nova  Scotian 
carts,  and  for  seats  it  had  a  bundle  of  clean  straw. 

In  another  moment  the  animals  had  been  goaded 
to  fresh  effort,  their  owner  had  turned  about  on  the 
chain  where  he  balanced  himself  for  a  seat  and  also 
turned  a  corner  into  a  side  street  that  climbed  the 
hill  behind  the  town.  Then  he  ordered : 

"  Fire  ahead !  Tell  everything  you  know ;  and 
I  say,  Sissy,  did  you  ever  see  a  purtier  pair  of 
creeturs  than  them  be  ?  I'm  prouder  of  'em  than  I 
could  be  of  the  finest  team  o'  thoroughbreds  ever 
stepped.  Gee,  there !  Haw,  I  tell  ye !  " 

Beyond,  at  the  postoffice,  the  truants  had  been 
suddenly  missed;  and  with  varying  degrees  of 
anxiety  their  elders  were  asking  one  another : 

"  What  do  you  suppose  has  become  of  Dorothy 
and  that  queer  boy?" 

But  Molly  was  more  vexed  than  anxious  and  she 
looked  upon  Monty  with  rising  disfavor.  She 
guessed  that  they  were  having  some  fun  from  which 
she  was  shut  out  and  which  Montmorency  Vava- 
sour-Stark would  never  have  had  the  originality 
to  suggest. 

"  Oh !  I  wish  I  knew !  Maybe  they're  eating 
each  other  up!  Yesterday  she  asked  if  he  was  a 
'  wildcat '  and  I  told  her  '  yes.'  Maybe,  maybe  — 


DOROTHY  AND  THE  BUGLER  141 

Oh!  Why  did  you  make  us  walk  in  front,  namby- 
pamby  so,  Papa  dear?  If  we'd  been  with  them 
we'd  know  what  they  are  doing  and  what  has  hap- 
pened. Oh!  dear!  If  I  hadn't  been  in  front  I'd 
have  been  behind !  "  she  complained.  Nor  was  she 
greatly  pleased  by  the  laugh  which  her  Irish-cism 
raised. 


CHAPTER  IX 

AN  OX-OMOBILE  AND   A   SAILBOAT 

EVEN  Melvin  had  not  expected  that  Dorothy  and 
he  would  long  be  away  from  the  rest  of  the  party, 
though  he  did  not  realize  that  he  was  in  any  wise 
responsible  to  them,  since  his  duties  as  camp-helper 
had  not  yet  begun.  But  he  enjoyed  his  freedom 
from  the  society  of  so  many  strangers  and  found 
Dorothy  a  pleasant  companion.  She  might  have 
been  just  another  boy,  for  any  "  nonsense  "  there 
was  about  her ;  and  she  was  so  delighted  with  every- 
thing he  pointed  out  that  he,  also,  began  to  find  new 
beauties  in  the  familiar  scenery,  and  to  grow  eager 
to  show  her  all  he  could. 

For  the  teamster  prolonged  his  journey  to  the 
very  crest  of  the  hill  behind  the  town,  and  made  it 
slowly.  He  had  so  many  questions  to  ask  concern- 
ing his  old  neighbors  that  he  delayed  all  he  reason- 
ably could  and  rather  resented  Melvin's  attempts  to 
entertain  Dorothy. 

"  That's  Point  Prim  lighthouse,  yonder.  See  ? 
Yes,  Joel,  Reuben  Smith  did  paint  his  house  bright 
blue,  just  as  he  vowed  he  would  to  spite  his  neigh- 
bor. That's  Digby  Gap,  where  the  two  hills  come  so 
near  together  in  the  water.  The  boats  that  sail 

142 


AN  OX-OMOBILE  AND  A  SAILBOAT        143 

from  here  have  to  pass  through  it  and  travelers  say 
—  No.  I  didn't  hear  what  price  that  Company  did 
get  for  its  last  '  catch.'  Lobsters  haven't  been  run- 
ning so  free  this  year,  I  hear;  and  there's  another 
company  started  canning  them.  If  Judge  Breck- 
enridge  stays  long  enough  I  hope  he'll  take  you 
sailing  up  Bear  River.  It's  a  nice  drive  there,  too, 
but  the  sail  is  better.  Up  yonder  is  the  Joggin  — 
Why,  Joel,  I'm  sure  I  don't  know.  I  hadn't  heard." 

Such  was  a  sample  of  the  talk  which  went  on  and 
which  provoked  from  the  lad,  at  last,  the  comment: 

"  Learning  under  difficulties !  "  which  he  said  with 
such  an  amused  glance  toward  Dorothy  that  she 
laughed  and  felt  that  Molly  had  been  right  in  her 
belief  that  "  that  boy  has  some  fun  in  him." 
Thought  of  Molly  made  her  also  exclaim: 

"  Oh !  I  do  wish  she  were  here !  She  would 
have  liked  this  so  much!  I  don't  believe  she  ever 
rode  in  an  ox-cart  either,  any  more  than  I  did  be- 
fore. How  funny  it  is!  And  how  much  longer 
shall  we  be?  I'm  afraid  I  ought  to  have  asked  Mrs. 
Hungerford  or  Miss  Greatorex  before  I  came. 
But  I  didn't  think.  I  never  do  think  till  —  after- 
ward." 

"  Glad  of  it.  Glad  you  didn't,  else  likely  you'd 
have  lost  the  ride.  Joel  doesn't  call  this  an  ox-cart, 
though.  Not  by  any  means.  This,  if  you  please,  is 
an  '  ox-omobile,'  and  very  proud  of  it  he  is.  Guess 
you  needn't  worry.  Nobody  can  get  lost  in  little 
Digby;  and  —  Where  now,  Joel?  How  much 
longer  will  you  be  ?  " 


144  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"  Oh !  I  reckon  not  long.  Just  a  little  minute  or 
few.  Depends  on  folks  havin'  their  trunks  ready 
to  haul.  Some  towerists  have  been  stopping  up 
here  to  one  these  houses  and  engaged  me  to  take 
their  luggage  down  to  the  pier.  They're  goin' 
over  to  St.  John,  I  reckon,  only  one  of  'em.  She's 
goin'  to  the  dee-po.  When  we  go  down  hill  you 
two  may  set  on  the  trunks  —  if  you  can ! "  and  Mr. 
Snackenberg  laughed  at  his  own  thoughts. 

The  trunks  did  happen  to  be  ready.  Indeed  the 
"  towerists  "  were  even  impatient  to  be  gone  and 
were  just  starting  to  walk  to  the  pier  when  the 
carter  arrived.  They  looked  rather  enviously  at 
Dorothy  and  Melvin,  so  comfortably  seated  in  the 
cart,  but  its  owner  did  not  extend  an  invitation  to 
them  to  ride.  Indeed,  as  he  explained  to  his  com- 
panions : 

"  If  I  was  a  mind  I  could  have  all  Digby  village 
a  ridin'  in  my  *  ox-omobile.'  They  seem  to  think 
it's  powerful  cunnin',  as  if  they'd  never  seen  a  team 
of  oxen  before.  Where  've  they  lived  at,  I'd  like  to 
know,  that  they  don't  know  an  ox  when  they  see  it. 
There.  Them  trunks  is  in.  Now,  Sissy,  you  just 
set  right  down  and  —  You'll  find  out  the  rest." 

The  trunks  did  fill  the  carty  pretty  well  but  there 
was  plenty  of  room  to  put  one's  feet  in  the  spaces 
between ;  and  Dorothy  fixed  herself  comfortably, 
wondering  why  Melvin  disdained  to  ride  but  strode 
along  beside  the  teamster  who  also  walked. 
Throned  in  solitary  state  all  went  well  for  awhile, 
until  a  corner  was  turned  and  the  steep  descent  into 


AN  OX-OMOBILE  AND  A  SAILBOAT       145 

the  town  began.  Then  the  trunks  slid  upon  the 
slippery  hay,  resting  their  weight  against  the  chain 
at  the  rear,  which  alone  prevented  their  falling  out ; 
and  after  a  few  efforts  to  maintain  her  seat  Dorothy 
also  sprang  to  the  ground  and  joined  the  others. 

"  Ha,  ha,  ha !  Ridin'  up-hill  and  ridin'  down  is 
two  quite  different  things,  ain't  it,  Sissy?  Ever 
been  to  the  pier  to  see  the  boat  start  across  the  Bay 
to  St.  John's,  New  Brunswick?  No?  First  time 
you  been  to  the  Province?  All  right.  You  stick 
close  to  me  and  I'll  p'int  out  all  the  '  lions '  there  is 
to  see.  Melvin,  here,  can  talk  as  glib  as  the  next 
one  when  he  gets  waked  up,  but  I  know  more  about 
Digby  'an  he  does.  One  the  sights  towerists  rave 
the  most  over  is  the  fish-grounds.  They're  right 
adj'ining  the  pier  and  you  can  kill  them  two  '  lions  ' 
at  once.  Ha,  ha !  " 

"  But,  sir,  I'm  afraid  I  ought  to  go  back.  I 
mean  —  to  where  my  friends  are.  Is  the  pier  on 
the  road  home  ?  "  asked  Dorothy. 

"  All  roads  lead  home  —  for  somebody.  The 
pier  and  the  fish-curin'  grounds  amongst  'em. 
Don't  you  vex  yourself,  Sissy.  If  you  was  to  go 
from  one  end  to  the  other  of  this  little  town  you 
couldn't  never  get  fur  from  where  you  live." 

The  truth  was  that  the  old  teamster  wanted  to 
keep  the  young  folks  with  him  as  long  as  he  could. 
There  were  still  numberless  questions  he  hadn't 
put  to  Melvin  and  he  had  taken  a  fancy  to  Dorothy. 
If  she  was  simply  a  "  towerist "  she  was,  of  course, 
an  idler  and  it  was  of  no  consequence  her  wasting 


146  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

her  time.  He  hadn't  learned  yet  why  Melvin  was 
here  and  if  he  didn't  find  that  out  he  felt  he 
"  couldn't  bear  it."  So  now  he  asked : 

"  Well,  son  of  all  the  Cooks,  .what's  fetched  you 
here  this  time  o'  day?  Lost  your  job?  " 

"  Not  exactly.  I've  given  it  up.  I'm  tired  of 
sailing  back  and  forth  over  the  same  old  route  and 
a  friend  of  mine  wanted  to  take  my  place.  I'm  go- 
ing to  help  a  gentleman  I  know  in  his  camping  out. 
Cook,  maybe,  or  whatever  he  wants.  Now  —  that's 
all.  You  needn't  ask  me  how  much  I  earn,  or 
what's  next,  or  anything.  You  just  go  ahead  and 
tell  this  Miss  Dorothy  anything  you  fancy;  since 
you  know  so  much  more  of  things  than  I  do." 

"  H'ity-t'ity !  Miffed,  be  ye?  Never  mind. 
You'd  ought  to  rest  your  tongue,  'cause  I  'low  it's 
never  wagged  so  fast  afore  in  your  whole  life.  But 
I'm  ekal  to  it.  I'm  ekal.  I've  growed  to  be  a 
regular  *  Digby  chicken,'  I've  tarried  here  so  long 
already.  Ever  eat  Digby  *  chicken,'  Sissy  ?  " 

Joel  was  affronted  in  his  own  turn  now  and  de- 
termined to  ignore  that  "  Miss  "  which  Melvin  had 
pronounced  so  markedly.  Joel  wasn't  used  to 
"  Miss  "-ing  any  girl  of  Dorothy's  size  and  he 
wasn't  going  to  begin  at  his  time  of  life.  Not  he ! 

Meanwhile,  Melvin  had  relapsed  into  utter  silence. 
He  declined  to  answer  any  of  the  teamster's  further 
questions,  and  if  his  knowledge  of  the  locality  had 
been  quite  as  accurate  as  he  had  boasted  he  would 
have  suggested  to  the  girl  that  they  take  a  short- 
cut back  to  the  hotel.  Yet,  he  had  heard  that 


AN  OX-0 MOBILE  AND  A  SAILBOAT        147 

teasing  Molly  say  they  were  bound  for  the  fish- 
grounds.  Beyond  these  lay,  also,  that  notable  Bat- 
tery Point,  with  its  rusty  old  guns;  its  ancient, 
storm-bent  trees;  and  the  Indian  encampment  still 
further  along.  He  had  seen  tourists  so  many  times 
that  he  fancied  they  were  all  alike,  full  of  curiosity, 
and  with  ample  leisure  to  gratify  it.  So,  in  all 
probability,  the  Judge  and  his  friends  were  still  at 
that  end  of  town  and  he  had  better  stick  to  Joel 
till  he  conducted  the  girl  and  him  to  their  presence. 
Then  he  would  himself  vanish  until  such  time  as  the 
Judge  might  require  his  service. 

They  came  to  the  pier  and  drove  along  its  great 
length,  the  teamster  pointing  out  all  sorts  of  inter- 
esting things,  so  that  Dolly  forgot  all  else  in  her 
eager  listening. 

"  Forty  feet  high  the  tide  rises  sometimes,  right 
on  this  very  p'int.  That's  why  it's  built  so  lofty. 
Look  over  the  edge.  See  that  sloping  wharf  clean 
down  into  the  water?  Well,  sir,  that's  where  folks 
land  sometimes ;  and  other  times  away  up  top  here. 
My  heart !  The  pretty  creetur !  " 

Joel  abruptly  checked  his  team  and  stooped  above 
something  lying  on  the  wide  planking  of  the  pier. 
Then  he  lifted  the  object  and  handed  it  to  Dorothy, 
explaining : 

"That's  a  poor  little  coddy-moddy!  A  little 
V.by  gull.  Pity!  Something's  hurt  it,  but  it's 
nlive  yet.  Makes  me  feel  bad  to  see  any  young 
c:  :etur  suffer;  most  of  all  to  see  a  bird.  Put  it  in 
the  crook  of  your  elbow,  Sissy,  and  fetch  it  along. 


148  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

I'll  take  it  home  with  me  and  see  if  I  can't  save  its 
life." 

After  a  moment  he  added,  seeing  her  look  wist- 
ful, as  he  thought: 

"  I'd  give  it  to  you,  Sissy,  but  towering  folks 
haven't  no  time  nor  chance  to  tend  sick  birds.  It'll 
be  better  off  in  my  house  than  jogglin'  over  rail- 
roads and  steamboats." 

There  was  sense  in  this  as  Dorothy  rather  reluc- 
tantly admitted,  for  she  would  have  liked  to  keep 
the  "  coddy-moddy  "  and  made  a  pet  of  it.  With 
Joel,  however,  it  would  simply  be  cured  and  set  free, 
or  it  would  die  in  peace.  Also  she  was  touched 
by  the  real  tenderness  with  which  the  rough-handed 
teamster  made  a  nest  in  the  straw  of  his  cart  and 
placed  the  bird  upon  it. 

He  had  first  deposited  the  trunks  in  the  baggage 
room  and  there  was  nothing  to  keep  him  longer; 
so  with  another  whimsical  glance  at  Melvin,  who 
had  sauntered  behind  them,  he  remarked: 

"  Right  this  way  to  the  fishin'-grounds !  *  Stinks 
a  little  but  nothin'  to  hurt ! '  " 

Then  in  the  fatherly  fashion  which  almost  every 
man  she  met  adopted  toward  her,  he  held  out  his 
hand  to  Dorothy  C.  and  led  her  back  over  the  pier 
and  around  to  the  broad  field  where  numbers  of  men 
were  salting  and  piling  the  haddock  and  cod  they 
had  caught.  The  fish  were  piled  in  circles  or 
wheel-like  heaps,  after  they  were  sufficiently  dried ; 
and  the  fresher  ones  were  spread  upon  long  frames 
to  "  cure."  It  was  a  great  industry  in  that  locality 


AN  OX-OMOBILE  AND  A  SAILBOAT        149 

and  one  so  interesting  to  Dorothy  that  she  wanted 
to  linger  and  watch  the  toilers  despite  the  decidedly 
"  fishy  "  odor  which  filled  the  air. 

But  Joel  said  that  he  must  leave  them  then  and, 
after  pointing  with  his  whip  to  a  grassy  plain  be- 
yond the  fishing-grounds,  advised : 

"  Best  step  right  over  to  the  Battery,  Sissy,  now 
you're  so  nigh  it.  I've  learned  in  my  life  that 
things  don't  happen  twice  alike.  Maybe  you  won't 
be  just  here  again  in  such  terr'ble  agreeable  com- 
pany— "  and  he  playfully  touched  Melvin  on  the 
shoulder  — "  and  best  improve  it.  And,  Sissy, 
strikes  me  you're  real  likely.  Sort  of  a  common 
sense  sort  of  little  creetur  without  so  many  airs  as 
some  the  girl-towerists  put  on.  If  so  be  't  you  stop 
a  spell  in  Digby  just  tip  me  the  wink  and  I'll  haul 
you  with  any  load  I  happen  to  have  on  my  '  Mobile.' 
Or,  if  so  be  we  never  meet  again  on  earth,  be  sure, 
little  Sissy,  't  you  meet  me  in  Heaven.  Good-by, 
till  then." 

Off  he  went  and  left  Dorothy  standing  looking 
after  him  with  something  very  like  tears  in  her 
brown  eyes.  Such  a  quaint  figure  he  looked  in  his 
long  blue  smock,  his  worn  hat  pushed  to  the  back 
of  his  head,  his  sandy  beard  sweeping  his  breast; 
jogging  beside  his  beloved  team,  doing  his  duty 
simply  as  he  found  it  "  in  that  state  of  life  to  which 
it  had  pleased  God  to  call  him." 

"  He's  a  very  religious  man,  Joel  Snackenberg, 
and  never  loses  a  chance  to  '  pass  the  word.'  My 
mother  sets  great  store  by  him  and  I  must  write  her 


ISO  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

about  our  meeting  him.  Shall  we  go  to  the  Bat- 
tery or  back  to  the  hotel?  Your  friends  don't  — 
aren't  anywhere  in  sight,  so  I  supose  they've  gone 
there,"  remarked  Melvin. 

"  Then  we  ought.  Indeed,  I  feel  afraid  we've 
stayed  too  long ;  and  yet  I  can't  be  sorry,  since  we've 
met  tLat  dear  old  man." 

Melvin  had  promptly  recovered  his  "  glibness " 
upon  the  departure  of  the  teamster ;  and  though  he 
looked  at  her  in  some  surprise  he  answered: 

"  I  don't  believe  many  girls  would  call  him 
'  dear.'  I  shouldn't  have  thought  of  doing  so  my- 
self. That  Molly  wouldn't,  I  know;  but  you  have 
a  way  of  making  folks  —  folks  forget  themselves 
and  show  their  best  sides  to  you,  so  I  guess.  Any- 
how, I  never  talked  so  much  to  any  girl  before, 
and  you're  the  only  one  in  all  that  crowd  I  don't  feel 
shy  of.  Even  that  boy  —  Hmm." 

"  Thank  you.  That's  the  nicest  thing  I  ever  had 
said  to  me.  And  don't  you  think  that  life  —  just 
the  mere  living  —  is  perfectly  grand  ?  All  the  time 
meeting  new  people  and  finding  out  new,  beautiful 
things  about  them?  Like  Mr.  Snackenberg  asking 
me  to  meet  him  in  Heaven.  It  was  certainly  an 
odd  thing  to  say,  it  startled  me,  but  it  was  beautiful 
—  beautiful.  Now  —  do  you  know  the  road 
home?" 

"  Sure.    We'll  be  there  in  five  minutes." 

"All  right.  Lead  the  way.  And  say,  Melvin 
Cook,  do  one  more  nice  thing,  please.  Forgive  my 
darling  Molly  for  the  prank  she  played  on  you  and 


AN  OX-O MOBILE  AND  A  SAILBOAT        151 

be  the  same  friendly  way  to  her  you've  been  to 
me." 

"Well,  1'H  try.  But  I  don't  promise  I'll  suc- 
ceed." 

They  hurried  back  over  the  main  street  of  the 
town  to  their  inn,  past  the  postoffice  where  a  throng 
of  tourists  were  still  waiting  for  possible  mail,  past 
the  little  shops  with  their  tempting  display  of  "  no- 
tions "  representative  of  the  locality,  until  they 
reached  one  window  in  which  some  silverware  was 
exposed  for  sale. 

Something  within  caught  Melvin's  eye,  and  he 
laughed : 

"  Look  there,  miss." 

"  Dorothy,  please !  " 

"  Look  there,  Dorothy !  There's  your  '  Digby 
chicken  '  with  a  vengeance !  "  and  he  pointed  toward 
some  trinkets  the  dealer  was  exhibiting  to  customers 
within.  Among  the  articles  a  lot  of  tiny  silver  fish, 
labeled  as  he  had  said,  and  made  in  some  way  with 
a  spring  so  that  they  wriggled  from  the  tip  of  a  pin, 
or  guard,  in  typical  fish-fashion. 

"  Oh !  aren't  they  cute !  How  I  would  like  to  buy 
one !  Do  you  suppose  they  cost  very  much  ?  "  cried 
Dorothy,  delighted. 

"  I'll  ask,"  he  said  and  did ;  and  returning  from 
the  interior  announced :  "  Fifty  cents  for  the  small- 
est one,  seventy-five  for  the  others." 

She  sighed  and  her  face  fell.  "  Might  as  well 
be  seventy-five  dollars,  so  far  as  I'm  concerned. 
I  have  exactly  five  cents,  and  I  shouldn't  have  had 


152  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

that  only  I  found  it  left  over  in  my  jacket  pocket. 
You  see,  once  I  had  five  dollars.  How  much  is  that 
in  Nova  Scotia  money  ?  " 

"  Just  the  same.     Five  dollars." 

"  Well,  come  on.  I  mustn't  stand  and  '  covet,' 
but  I  would  so  love  to  have  that  for  Alfaretta.  I 
promised  to  bring  her  something  home  and  that 
would  please  her  to  death !  " 

"  Good  thing  she  isn't  to  have  it  then !  "  he  re- 
turned. 

Dorothy  laughed.  "  Course.  I  don't  mean  that. 
I'm  always  getting  reproved  for  '  extravagant  lan- 
guage.' Miss  Rhinelander  says  it's  almost  as  bad 
as  extravagant  —  umm,  doing.  You  know  what 
I  mean.  Listen.  I'll  tell  you  how  I  lost  it,  but  we 
must  hurry.  I  smell  dinners  in  the  houses  we  pass 
and  I  reckon  it's  mighty  late." 

She  narrated  the  story  of  her  loss  and  her  New 
York  experiences  in  a  few  graphic  sentences;  and 
had  only  concluded  when  they  reached  the  hotel 
piazza,  bordering  the  street,  and  saw  their  whole 
party  sitting  there  waiting  the  dinner  summons. 
The  faces  of  the  elders  all  looked  a  little  stern,  even 
that  of  the  genial  Judge  himself;  and  Molly 
promptly  voiced  the  thoughts  of  the  company  when 
she  demanded : 

"  Well,  I  should  like  to  know  where  you  have 
been !  We  were  afraid  something  had  happened, 
and  I  think  it's  mean,  real  mean  I  say,  to  scare  peo- 
ple who  are  on  a  holiday.  Dorothy,  child,  where 
have  you  been  ?  " 


AN  OX-0 MOBILE  AND  A  SAILBOAT       153 

"  Ox-omobiling,"  answered  poor  Dorothy, 
meekly,  and  feeling  as  if  she  were  confessing  a  posi- 
tive crime. 

"  W-h-a-t  ?  "  gasped  Molly  amazed. 

"  Ox-omobiling.     I  didn't  mean  — " 

"  What  in  the  world  is  that  ?  Did  you  do  it  with 
that  boy?  Is  he  —  where  —  what  —  do  tell  and 
not  plague  me  so." 

"  No.  I  did  it  with  the  man  who  — "  Here  cul- 
prit Dolly  looked  up  and  caught  the  stern,  ques- 
tioning gaze  of  Mrs.  Ebenezer  Stark,  and  her  wits 
fled.  "  With  Joel,  and  I'm  to  meet  him  in  —  in 
Heaven  —  right  away." 

Utter  silence  greeted  this  strange  answer,  part 
of  which  had  been  made  to  Miss  Greatorex's  austere 
gesture.  This  signified  on  the  lady's  part  that  her 
ward  was  late  and  hindering  the  meal  and  was  so 
understood  by  the  frightened  girl.  She  looked 
around  for  Melvin  to  corroborate  her  statement  but 
he  had  vanished.  Having  escorted  her  into  sight 
of  her  friends  he  considered  his  duty  done  and 
disappeared. 

"  Dorothy !  You've  been  having  adventures,  I 
see,  and  have  got  things  a  trifle  *  mixed.'  Best  say 
no  more  now,  till  we  all  get  over  our  dinner-cross- 
ness and  then  tell  us  the  whole  story.  Since  you  are 
safely  back  no  real  harm  is  done ;  and,  friends,  shall 
we  go  in  to  table?  The  second  bell  has  rung," 
asked  Mrs.  Hungerford,  smiling  yet  secretly  an- 
noyed by  the  delay  Dorothy's  absence  had  caused. 

The  Judge  had  received  more  letters  from  his 


154  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"  Boys  "  and  even  more  urgent  ones.  That  meant 
cutting  short  their  stay  in  every  town  they  visited; 
even  omitting  some  desirable  places  from  their  list. 
It  had  been  decided  that  they  must  leave  Digby  on 
Monday,  the  next  day  but  one,  and  they  wished  to 
utilize  every  moment  of  the  time  between  in  visiting 
its  most  attractive  points. 

"  Now,  we'll  take  that  ride.  I  was  going  to  get 
Melvin  to  drive  one  small  rig  with  the  young  folks 
and  I  would  drive  another  surrey  with  us  elders. 
He's  taken  himself  off,  though,  so  I'll  just  order  a 
buckboard  that  will  hold  us  all,"  said  the  Judge, 
when  they  had  rather  hastily  finished  their  meal. 

So  they  did,  and  presently  the  four-seated  wagon 
with  its  four  horses  and  capable  driver  tooled  up 
to  the  entrance  and  the  party  entered  it.  All  but 
Monty  Stark.  Much  to  his  mother's  annoyance 
and  regret,  that  young  gentleman  firmly  objected 
to  the  trip. 

"  I  don't  want  to  go.  I  hate  driving.  I  don't 
care  a  rap  for  all  the  lighthouses  or  Bear  Rivers  in 
the  world.  I'd  rather  stay  right  here  and  watch 
the  fishermen.  I  never  had  such  a  chance  to  see 
them  so  close  at  hand  and  —  I  —  do  —  not  want  — 
to  go." 

"  Montmorency,  darling !  Don't  turn  nasty  and 
spoil  all  poor  Mamma's  pleasure,  don't.  I  can't 
see  what's  the  matter  with  you,  dear?  You  have 
been  positively  disagreeable  ever  since  we  took  that 
walk.  Did  you  get  too  tired,  lovey?  Is  Mamma's 
baby  boy  ill?" 


AN  OX-OMOBILE  AND  A  SAILBOAT       155 

"  Oh !  Mamma,  please !  I  shall  be  ill  if  you  don't 
quit  molly-coddling  me,  as  if  I  were  an  infant  in 
arms." 

They  were  speaking  apart  and  in  low  tones,  so 
that  she  caught  but  the  word  "  Molly "  and  in- 
stantly inquired: 

"Is  it  that  girl,  dearest?  Has  she  been  behaving 
badly  to  you  ?  You  mustn't  mind  her  sharp  tongue, 
she's  only  a  —  a  Breckenridge  ?  " 

"  Yes,  she  has  been  behaving  outrageously. 
She's  made  me  feel  as  cheap  as  two  cents.  Just 
because  I  couldn't  think  of  any  remarkably  funny 
thing  to  do  in  this  horrid  old  town  —  Oh !  go  on, 
and  let  me  be.  I'm  not  mad  with  you,  Mamma,  but 
I  shan't  go  on  that  ride  and  be  perched  on  a  seat 
with  either  of  those  wretched  girls,  nor  any  old 
woman  either,  for  the  whole  afternoon.  Do  go  — 
they're  waiting,  and  they'll  wish  no  Starks  had 
ever  been  born.  I  guess  they  wish  it  already." 

Perforce,  she  had  to  go;  but  it  wasn't  a  happy 
drive  for  her.  If  her  adored  Monty  was  dis- 
gruntled over  anything  she  felt  the  world  a  gloomy 
place.  She  did  exert  herself  to  be  agreeable  to 
the  Judge,  who  sat  beside  her,  yielding  his  place  on 
the  driver's  seat  to  Molly,  whose  manner  was  almost 
as  "  crisp  "  as  Montmorency's  own.  But  she  would 
rather  have  stayed  behind  to  look  after  her  son; 
and  had  she  known  what  was  to  happen  on  that  sun- 
shiny afternoon  she  would  have  been  even  more 
sorry  that  she  had  not  followed  her  inclination. 

However,   at  that  moment  there  was  no  cloud 


156  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

upon  the  day ;  and  no  sooner  had  the  buckboard  dis- 
appeared from  sight  than  Montmorency  Vavasour- 
Stark  performed  a  sort  of  jig  on  the  hotel  verandah, 
threw  up  his  cap,  gave  a  loud  Brentnor  "  yell "  and 
dashed  up  the  stairs  to  his  room  as  fast  as  his  short 
fat  legs  could  move.  Thence  he  soon  reappeared, 
clad  in  his  "  athletics  " —  of  which  a  broad-striped 
blue-and-white  sweater  attracted  much  attention. 

He  had  now  become  "  plain  boy."  He  had  shed 
the  "  young  gentleman  "  with  vigor  and  complete- 
ness and  was  bent  upon  any  sort  of  "  lark  "  that 
would  restore  his  usual  good  nature  and  complac- 
ency. He  had  observed  whither  disappeared  the 
various  bell-boys  when  off  duty  and  meant  "  to  stir 
up  "  one  of  them  if  nothing  better  offered. 

Something  better  did  offer,  in  the  shape  of  Mel- 
vin  Cook;  calmly  munching  a  slice  of  bread  and 
butter  in  the  stable-yard  and  as  rejoiced  as  Monty 
himself  to  be  quit  for  a  time  of  women  and  girls 
and  "  manners  "  in  general. 

Montmorency  hadn't  been  attracted  before  to  this 
"  son  of  all  the  Cooks,"  who  was  so  fair  of  face 
and  slender  of  build,  but  now  he  reflected  that  if 
he  obtained  permission  to  go  into  camp  with  the 
"  Boys,"  and  the  Judge,  Melvin  would,  perforce, 
be  his  daily  companion.  As  well  begin  now  as 
ever  then ;  so  he  accosted  the  bugler  with  the  ques- 
tion: 

"  Say,  can't  you  get  up  something  dandy  for  the 
rest  of  the  day?  We've  shed  those  folks  till  dark, 
I  guess,  and  I'm  dying  for  anything  doing.  Eh  ?  " 


AN  OX-OMOBILE  AND  A  SAILBOAT        157 

"  I've  hired  a  sail  boat  and  am  going  out  alone, 
except  for  Tommy  here." 

Tommy  was  the  most  juvenile  of  all  the  bell-boys, 
a  lad  of  not  more  than  ten,  who  tried  to  appear  quite 
as  old  as  these  others  and  who  now  strutted  for- 
ward announcing: 

"  Yes,  me  and  him  is  going  out  in  the  '  Digby 
Chicken.'  A  tidy  craft  but  we'll  manage  her  all 
right,  all  right." 

"  Cock-a-doodle-doo !  "  cried  Monty,  patting  the 
child's  shoulder  and  incidentally  slipping  a  quar- 
ter into  the  little  fellow's  open  palm;  for  it  was  a 
habit  of  the  richer  lad  to  bestow  frequent  tips  when- 
ever he  journeyed  anywhere,  enjoying  the  popular- 
ity this  gave  him  with  his  "  inferiors." 

"  A  sail-boat  ?  Can  you  manage  a  sail-boat,  Mel- 
vin  Cook,  by  yourself  without  a  man  to  help  you  ?  " 
he  demanded  in  sincere  astonishment. 

"  Feel  that !  "  answered  Melvin,  placing  Monty's 
hand  upon  his  "  muscle."  "  There's  a  bit  of 
strength  in  that  arm,  eh,  what?  And  you  may 
not  know  that  I  come  of  a  race  of  sailors  and  have 
almost  lived  upon  the  water  all  my  life.  Manage 
a  sail-boat?  Huh!  If  you  choose  to  come  along 
I'll  show  you." 

Ten  minutes  later  they  were  moving  out  in  a 
their  frail  craft  from  the  little  pier  across  the  street 
from  the  hotel;  Melvin  for  skipper,  Tommy  for 
mate,  and  Montmorency  for  a  passenger.  That 
was  the  beginning.  It  did  not  dawn  upon  any  of 
the  trio  what  the  ending  of  that  sail  would  be. 


CHAPTER  X 

WHAT  BEFELL  A   "  DIGBY  CHICKEN  " 

THE  second  bell  for  the  last  meal  of  the  day 
had  again  rung,  and  again  the  Breckenridge  party 
waited  on  the  verandah  for  delinquents.  Mrs. 
Stark  positively  declined  to  enter  the  dining-room 
until  she  had  found  out  what  had  become  of  Mont- 
morency.  Mrs.  Hungerford  as  positively  declined 
to  leave  Mrs.  Stark,  and  the  Judge's  temper  was 
again  being  sorely  tried.  Their  twenty-mile  drive 
and  sight-seeing  had  sharpened  appetites  that  al- 
ready were  quite  sharp  enough  and  the  eminent 
jurist  wanted  his  supper.  To  walk  off  his  impa- 
tience, if  he  could,  he  paced  up  and  down  the  long 
verandah  at  a  brisk  rate,  which  did  not  tend  to 
allay  that  uncomfortable  feeling  in  his  "  inner  man." 

The  hotel  proprietor  left  the  dining-room,  where 
he  personally  superintended  the  serving  of  his 
guests,  and  joined  the  Judge,  advising  and  com- 
plaining : 

"  We've  the  usual  Saturday,  week-end  crowd  in 
the  house  and  I'd  like  to  have  your  party  get 
through  in  yonder  soon's  you  can,  if  you  please. 

158 


WHAT  BEFELL  A  " DIGBY  CHICKEN"      159 

I'm  driven  half-crazy,  nights  like  this,  by  the  de- 
mands and  exactions  of  these  transient  people.  I 
need  every  man-jack  of  the  help  and  somebody  says 
that  Tommy  has  gone  off  with  your  lads.  Tommy 
is  small  but  he's  the  best  bell-boy  in  the  house  and 
—  I'll  trounce  him  well  when  he  gets  back  for  serv- 
ing me  such  a  trick.  Best  get  your  dinner  now, 
Judge,  or  I'll  not  promise  you'll  be  able  to  later. 
Excuse  me  for  urging,  it's  in  your  own  interest, 
and  —  There  comes  another  load  from  somewhere! 
and  I  haven't  a  room  to  give  them.  Cots  in  the  par- 
lor, if  they  choose,  nothing  better  ?  " 

With  that  he  hurried  to  meet  the  newcomers  and 
the  Judge  said  to  Aunt  Lu : 

"  We  certainly  should  go  in  to  table  now.  It 
does  no  good  to  sit  here  and  wait.  That  doesn't 
bring  the  runaways  any  sooner  and  they'd  ought 
to  go  without  their  suppers  if  they're  so  thought- 
less of  our  comfort.  Mrs.  Stark,  won't  you  come?  " 

Then  he  observed  that  the  lady  was  weeping 
copiously.  It  was  now  fixed  in  her  mind  that 
Monty  was  drowned.  She  had  been  told  that  he 
had  gone  sailing  with  that  other  dreadful  bugler- 
boy  the  Judge  had  picked  up,  and,  of  course,  this 
was  the  only  explanation  of  his  absence.  She  re- 
fused to  be  comforted  and  would  have  gone  out  in 
a  boat  herself  to  search  for  her  son  had  she  felt 
this  would  be  of  the  slightest  use.  Indeed,  she  was 
fast  becoming  hysterical,  and  Mrs.  Hungerford 
shook  her  head  negatively  when  her  brother  begged 
her  to  leave  her  post  and  come  with  him. 


160  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"  Very  well,  then,  sister,  Miss  Greatorex  and  the 
girls  and  I  will  go  without  you.  Afterward,  when 
the  boys  come,  I'll  try  to  have  a  special  meal  served 
for  you  somewhere.  If  I  can!  Come,  Molly, 
Dolly ;  and  I'm  glad  that  you,  Miss  Greatorex,  have 
some  sense." 

So  they  departed  and  finding  that  Mrs.  Stark  was 
attracting  the  attention  of  the  other  guests  upon 
the  piazza.,  Aunt  Lucretia  persuaded  her  to  cross 
the  street  to  the  pavilion  that  stood  upon  the  bluff 
above  the  water  and  that  was  now  deserted. 

"  From  there  we  can  see  the  boat  as  soon  as  it 
approaches,  dear  Mrs.  Stark,  and  I  feel  sure  you've 
no  cause  for  such  anxiety.  Doubtless  the  boys  have 
been  fishing  and  have  not  realized  how  long.  It  is 
still  bright  daylight  yonder  and  these  are  glorious 
moonlight  nights.  Even  if  they  stayed  out  till  bed- 
time they  could  see  all  right  enough." 

Mrs.  Stark  followed  the  advice  to  seek  the  pavil- 
ion; yet  simply  because  it  brought  her  that  much 
nearer  her  lost  darling.  But  when  a  tray  of  sup- 
per was  sent  out  to  the  two  ladies  there  she  refused 
to  touch  it  and  her  grief  spoiled  her  companion's 
appetite  as  well. 

After  a  little  time  Miss  Greatorex  and  the  girls 
retired  to  their  rooms,  at  the  Judge's  advice.  He 
too  had  at  last  become  infected  with  the  anxious 
mother's  forebodings  and  felt  that  there  was  no 
need  for  Molly  and  Dolly  to  be  also  frightened. 
Then  he  joined  the  watchers  in  the  pavilion,  where 
the  other  guests  refrained  from  disturbing  them, 


WHAT  BEFELL  A  " DIGBY  CHICKEN"      161 

although  it  was  a  favorite  resort  on  pleasant  even- 
ings. 

Many  a  boat  came  back  to  the  various  small 
piers  extending  from  the  shore  into  the  water,  here 
and  there,  but  none  was  the  little  "  Digby  Chicken." 
Her  owner  took  his  place  at  the  end  of  the  pier 
and  sat  down  to  wait.  Of  all  his  boats  she  was  the 
newest  and  prettiest.  She  had  sailed  out  into  the 
sunlight  glistening  with  white  paint,  her  new  sail 
white  and  unstained,  and  on  her  shining  hull  a  deco- 
ration of  herring  surrounding  her  red-lettered  name. 
It  had  been  the  builder's  conceit  to  omit  the  name, 
the  string  of  painted  fish  answering  for  it  to  all  but 
"  foreigners ; "  but  as  it  had  been  built  for  the  use 
of  these  "  foreigners  "  or  "  tourists "  the  printed 
words  had  finally  been  added. 

Minutes  passed.  Quarter-hours;  an  hour;  two 
of  them;  even  three.  There  was  no  longer  any 
moonlight.  The  distant  cliffs  and  headlands  be- 
came invisible.  One  could  only  guess  where  the 
Gap  strove  to  close  the  entrance  to  an  outer  world. 
The  hotel  verandah  became  more  and  more  deserted, 
and  one  by  one  the  lights  in  the  upper  windows 
shone  out  for  a  time,  then  disappeared.  Gradually 
all  lights  vanished  save  those  in  the  lobby  and  a 
faint  glimmer  from  a  corridor  above. 

Though  wraps  has  been  early  sent  out  to  the 
anxious  watchers  in  the  pavilion,  now  heavy  steamer 
rugs  were  brought,  to  keep  out  that  penetrating 
chill.  The  Judge  had  on  his  heaviest  overcoat  and 
yet  shivered,  himself  covering  his  long  legs  with 


162  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

a  thick  blanket.     He  had  made  several  efforts  to 
induce  Mrs.  Stark  to  go  indoors  but  all  had  failed. 

The  fog  that  was  slowly  rising  when  the  boat- 
owner  took  his  station  on  the  little  quay  below 
had  crept  nearer  and  nearer  into  shore  had  finally 
enveloped  everything  and  hidden  it.  So  dense  it 
was  that  from  his  bench  on  one  side  the  circular 
pavilion  the  Judge  could  barely  make  out  the  white 
pillars  on  its  opposite  side.  A  lamp  had  been 
lighted  in  the  roof  but  against  this  Mrs.  Stark  had 
vehemently  protested,  because  it  made  that  wall 
of  white  mist  seem  closer  and  more  impenetrable, 
and  without  it  she  fancied  that  her  eye  could  still 
pierce  the  distance,  still  discover  any  incoming 
craft. 

About  midnight  the  wind  rose  and  the  fog  began 
to  thin  and  scatter.  The  boatman  on  the  pier  had 
long  ago  left  it,  forced  off  by  the  rising  tide,  and 
now  sat  floating  in  one  of  the  row-boats  fastened 
there.  He  had  put  on  his  oilskins  and  set  his  oars 
in  readiness  for  the  first  sign  of  distress  on  the  face 
of  the  waters;  but  he  had  about  given  up  hope  of 
his  pretty  "  Digby  Chicken."  That  a  couple  of 
touring  lads,  even  though  one  had  protested  that 
he  was  a  good  sailor,  that  these  should  come  safely 
through  a  night  like  this  seemed  unlikely ;  but  now 
that  the  wind  was  rising  and  the  fog  lifting,  he 
drew  his  boat  close  under  the  pole  at  the  pier's  end 
and  lighted  the  lantern  which  swung  there.  There 
was  now  a  chance  that  its  gleam  might  be  seen  from 
beyond  and  there  had  been  none  before. 


WHAT  BEFELL  A  " DIGBY  CHICKEN"      163 

Then  another  time  of  waiting,  which  ended  with 
the  boatman  pulling  out  from  shore.  The  watchers 
above  had  heard  nothing,  had  not  even  seen  him 
leave,  although  the  lantern  had  faintly  shown  him 
riding  upon  the  wave,  moored  to  the  pier  by  a  rope. 

But  now,  rubbing  her  strained  eyes  to  clear  their 
vision  Mrs.  Stark  broke  the  long  silence  with  a 
cry: 

"  The  man !  He  isn't  there  ?  He's  gone  —  to 
meet  them ! " 

She  was  as  sure  of  this  now  as  she  had  been  be- 
fore that  her  son  was  drowned,  and  Mrs.  Hunger- 
ford  slipped  an  arm  about  her  waist  in  pity.  She 
dared  not  think  what  the  result  would  be  of  a  fresh 
disappointment. 

However,  their  long  vigil  was  really  ended.  The 
trained  ear  of  the  boatman  had  caught  a  faint  halloo 
from  somewhere  on  the  water  and  had  rowed  to- 
ward the  sound  with  all  his  strength  and  speed. 
At  intervals  he  had  paused  to  answer  and  to  lis- 
ten—  and  the  now  swiftly  dispersing  fog  enabled 
him  also  to  see  —  and  finally  to  utter  a  little  male- 
diction under  his  breath.  It  scarcely  needed  the 
glass  he  raised  to  show  him  the  "  Digby  Chicken  " 
riding  quietly  on  the  water  not  more  than  half  a 
league  off  shore.  Her  sail  was  furled,  she  looked 
taut  and  trim,  and  he  could  discern  a  figure  at  her 
prow  which  raised  its  arms  and  again  hallooed. 

"All's  well  that  ends  well."  But  it  might  not 
have  been  so  well.  The  full  story  of  that  night's 
work  did  not  transpire  at  once.  All  that  Mrs.  Stark 


164  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

knew  was  that  she  had  her  son  once  more  within 
her  close  embrace;  that  he  had  been  helped,  even 
carried,  up  the  narrow  pier  and  placed  dripping 
within  her  arms.  She  ascribed  his  soaked  condition 
to  the  fact  of  the  fog  and  not  to  the  truth;  and  it 
was  not  until  daylight  came  that  he  told  her  that. 
Then  lying  warm  in  his  bed,  with  her  hovering  over 
him  in  a  flutter  of  delight  and  reproof,  he  an- 
nounced : 

"  I  tell  you,  Mamma,  the  only  folks  that  amount 
to  anything  in  this  world  are  the  poor  ones !  " 

"  Very  likely,  love,  very  likely.  Only  don't  dis- 
tress yourself  any  more.  I  can't  forgive  that 
wretched  little  bugling  boy  for  taking  you  out 
in  that  horrible  boat  and  nearly  killing  you.  You're 
very  apt  to  have  pneumonia  or  something  —  Don't 
you  feel  pretty  ill  now  ?  " 

"  Mamma,  you  can't  forgive  him?  What  do  you 
mean  ?  Didn't  anybody  tell  ?  " 

"  Tell  what,  lovey.  I  certainly  didn't  stop  to  ask 
questions.  All  I  cared  for  was  to  get  you  into  bed 
and  a  warm  breakfast  or  supper  or  whatever  it  is 
sent  up." 

"  Then  you  don't  know  that  but  for  Melvin  Cook 
I  should  be  lying  at  the  bottom  of  the  Basin  now, 
instead  of  in  this  bed?"  demanded  Monty,  raising 
himself  on  his  elbow. 

The  pallor  that  overspread  his  mother's  face  was 
answer  enough,  and  he  blamed  himself  for  the  ques- 
tion. Even  without  knowing  the  worst  truth  she 
had  evidently  worried  herself  ill.  But  the  mischief 


WHAT  BEFELL  A  " DIGBY  CHICKEN"      165 

was  done  and  when  she  asked :  "  What  do  you 
mean  ? "  he  thought  it  best  to  tell.  Moreover  he 
was  anxious  that  she  should  know  of  Melvin's 
bravery  at  once.  So  he  answered : 

"  Well,  I  made  a  fool  of  myself.  He  had  tackle 
and  we  fished  along,  just  for  nothing  hardly,  and 
I  got  cocky  and  jiggled  the  boat.  Then  when  he 
said  I'd  better  not  but  ought  to  lend  a  hand  in  work- 
ing her  and  '  learn  sense/  I  —  Well,  I  don't  remem- 
ber exactly  what  happened  after  that;  only  I  got 
up  on  the  gunwale,  or  edge  of  the  '  Chicken '  and 
the  next  I  knew  I  was  in  the  water.  It  all  came 
over  me  in  a  flash  that  I  couldn't  swim  and  would 
drown  and  I  shut  my  eyes  and  tried  to  say  a 
prayer.  But  I  couldn't  think,  and  then  I  felt 
something  grab  me.  It  was  that  Melvin.  He'd 
tossed  off  his  jacket  and  dove  for  me  and  was  drag- 
ging me  to  the  surface  and  the  boat.  I  tried  to 
get  hold  of  him  tighter  but  he  kicked  me  off  and 
said  if  I  did  that  we'd  both  go  down.  I  thought 
we  would,  anyhow,  so  I  did  let  go  and  then  he  got 
me  to  the  boat,  yanking  me  by  the  collar  and  — 
that  was  all  for  a  good  while.  I  —  I  was  pretty 
sick  I  guess.  I'd  swallowed  so  much  salt  water  and 
all.  He  and  Tommy  rubbed  me  and  jounced  me 
around  and  paid  no  attention  to  the  boat,  that  kept 
drifting  further  out  all  the  time. 

"  I  don't  remember  much  else.  I  lay  on  the  bot- 
tom of  the  thing  and  the  boys  put  their  coats  over 
me  to  stop  my  shivering.  Melvin  said  afterward 
that  I  shivered  from  fear  and  shock  more  than  from 


166  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

dripping,  too,  but  he  couldn't  stop  for  that.  He 
had  to  try  to  get  back  to  shore  and  the  fog  was 
rising. 

"  Tommy  told  me  a  good  deal,  later  on  when  I 
felt  better.  He  said  the  fog  got  so  thick  Melvin 
was  afraid  to  try  and  sail  lest  we  should  bump  into 
some  other  craft.  So  we  lay  still  till  —  I  guess  you 
know  the  rest.  Now  I  want  to  hear,  has  anybody 
coddled  either  of  those  boys  —  heroes,  both  of  'em 
—  as  you've  coddled  me  ?  If  they  haven't  been 
treated  right  I'll  make  it  lively  for  somebody. 
Anyhow,  I  want  to  get  up  and  dress.  I'm  ashamed 
of  myself.  When  I  see  how  other  boys  act  I  J:hink 
I've  been  —  Well,  I  won't  call  your  lovey-dovey 
hard  names !  But  you  hear  me  say :  I'll  be  a,  man 
after  this  or  —  or  know  the  reason  why !  " 

It  certainly  was  a  long  speech  for  a  sick  boy  as 
Mrs.  Stark  persisted  in  considering  him ;  and  it  left 
her  shaken  and  most  undecided  on  various  points. 
Upon  one,  however,  she  was  fully  set;  she  would 
cut  this  Nova  Scotia  trip  short  at  once.  She  would 
telegraph  her  husband  in  Boston  and  follow  her 
telegram,  bag  and  baggage,  by  that  afternoon's 
train.  With  this  resolve  in  mind  she  left  the  room ; 
merely  bidding  her  son  "  lie  still  till  I  come  back." 

Then  she  descended  to  the  hotel  office  and  called 
for  a  telegraph  blank. 

This  was  courteousy  provided;  also  pen  and  ink 
with  which  to  inscribe  it,  which  she  promptly  did, 
then  the  following  dialogue :  — 

"  Please  send  this  message  at  once,  clerk." 


W HAT  BEFELL  A  " DIGBY  CHICKEN"      167 

"  Sorry,  Madam,  but  I  can't  do  it.    Not  to-day." 

"  Why  not  ?  "  haughtily. 

"  Office  is  closed.  No  despatches  sent  on  Sun- 
day. Can  do  it  about  seven  A.  M.  Monday." 

"  You  mean  to  tell  me  that  ridiculous  stuff? 
Where  is  the  office?  If  this  second-rate  hotel  can't 
accommodate  its  patrons  I'll  take  it  myself," 

"  The  office  is  at  the  railway  station,  Madam. 
You  will  find  it  closed." 

"  Indeed  ?  Well,  when  does  the  first  train  start 
for  Yarmouth  and  a  steamer  for  the  States,  either 
Boston  or  New  York  ?  " 

"  At  ten  o'clock  Monday  morning.  Upon  ar- 
rival at  Yarmouth  meets  steamers  for  both  ports, 
Madam." 

"None,  to-day?" 

"  None,  Madam.  It  is  a  law  of  the  Province. 
From  Saturday  night  to  Monday  morning  all  traf- 
fic is  suspended." 

Mrs.  Stark  did  not  continue  the  dialogue.  She 
couldn't.  She  was  too  astonished  and  too  indig- 
nant. That  she,  Mrs.  Ebenezer  Stark,  wife  of  the 
great  banker  of  that  name,  should  not  be  able  to 
control  a  matter  of  this  sort  was  simply  incredible. 
With  her  head  very  high  she  left  the  desk  and 
sought  the  Judge  in  his  quiet  corner  of  the  piazza, 
where  he  sat,  newspaper  over  face,  trying  to  catch 
"  forty  winks  "  after  his  night  of  scant  sleep. 

He  suppresed  a  yawn  as  he  rose  at  the  lady's  call. 

"  Judge  Breckenridge,  a  moment,  if  you  please. 
Sorry  to  disturb  you  but  it's  most  important.  I 


i68  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

want  to  send  a  telegram  and  that  ridiculous  clerk 
says  I  can't  do  it." 

"  Quite  right.     I'd  like  to  myself  and  can't." 
He  placed  a  chair  for  her  and  she  thoroughly 
aired  her  grievance.     He  sympathized  but  declared 
himself  powerless  to  help  her.     She  remarked: 

"  It  is  simply  outrageous.  A  trap  to  keep  visitors 
here  whether  or  no.  My  husband  will  make  it  his 
business  to  alter  the  whole  thing.  I  must  go  and 
take  Monty  away  from  here.  I  am  in  fear  for  his 
life.  I  shan't  rest  till  I  see  him  safe  back  in  his 
father's  arms." 

The  Judge  listened  courteously,  but  said: 
"  We  tourists  have  no  business  to  find  fault  with 
the  laws  the  Provincials  make  for  themselves. 
We'd  resent  their  interference  in  the  States.  As 
for  taking  your  son  away,  just  because  of  a  little 
accident  which  ended  all  right,  aren't  you  making 
a  mistake?  In  any  case,  since  you  cannot  get  away 
till  to-morrow,  anyway,  wouldn't  it  be  wise  for  you 
to  rest  now  and  recuperate  from  your  night  of 
anxiety?  Unless  you  will  join  us  in  church-going. 
Lucretia  never  let's  me  off  that  duty,  even  if  I  were 
inclined,  but  I'm  not.  Like  herself  I  always  enjoy 
service  in  strange  churches.  We  would  be  most 
happy  to  have  you  ?  " 

"  Thank  you,  but  I  couldn't.  Not  to-day.  I'm 
too  upset  and  weary.  I  couldn't  leave  my  darling 
boy,  either,  after  he's  just  been  rescued  from  a  — 
a  watery  grave.  He's  just  told  me  that  he  fell,  or 
was  pushed  overboard,  and  that  the  bugling  boy  was 


WHAT  BEFELL  A  " DIGBY  CHICKEN"      169 

scared  and  helped  him  out.  Oh!  it  makes  me  cold 
all  over  just  to  think  of  it ! " 

The  Judge  was  no  longer  sleepy.  His  tone  was 
sharp  and  judicial  as  he  asked: 

"Is  that  the  version  Montmorency  gave  of  the 
affair?" 

Then  when  she  hesitated  to  answer,  he  added : 

"  Because  I  have  heard  quite  a  different  one.  I 
wormed  it  out  of  little  Tommy,  whom  Melvin  had 
threatened  with  punishment  if  he  betrayed  the  really 
heroic  part  the  '  bugling  boy '  played  in  the  case. 
Doubly  brave  because,  though  he  has  tried  his  best 
to  overcome  it,  Melvin  has  a  horror  of  the  sea. 
His  father  was  drowned  and  if  he  followed  his  in- 
clination the  orphaned  lad  would  never  leave  dry 
ground.  But  his  race  is  a  sea-faring  one,  and  he 
knows  that  it  may  only  be  by  following  the  profes- 
sion of  his  forebears  that  he  can  ever  earn  a  living 
for  himself  and  his  mother  —  though  I  should  have 
put  her  first,  as  she  certainly  is  in  her  son's 
thoughts.  When  Montmorency  fooled  and  fell 
overboard  —  by  no  means  was  pushed  —  Melvin 
conquered  his  own  horror  and  plunged  after  him. 
If  he  hadn't  —  Well,  we  shouldn't  be  talking  so 
calmly  together  now,  you  and  I." 

Poor  Mrs.  Stark!  She  was  torn  and  tossed  by 
more  emotions  than  had  ever  been  hers  during  her 
easy  life,  and  each  emotion  was  at  variance  with 
another.  She  dropped  into  a  chair  to  collect  her- 
self ;  and  at  the  end  of  a  few  moments  remarked : 

"  If  that  is  the  case  I  will  do  something  for  the 


i;o  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

boy.  Whatever  amount  of  money  you  think  suit- 
able, I  will  give  you  a  check  for." 

He  wanted  to  retort  sharply,  but  he  didn't.  He 
forced  himself  to  say  quite  gently : 

"  No  payment,  Mrs.  Stark,  would  prove  accept- 
able. In  his  victory  over  himself  and  his  own  cow- 
ardice Melvin  has  grown  richer  than  any  dollars 
could  make  him.  If  you  will  pardon  my  advice, 
don't  offer  him  anything  save  kindness  and  don't 
make  that  too  conspicuous.  A  shy  boy  needs  care- 
ful handling." 

He  bowed  as  she  now  rose  and  went  her  way,  a 
very  thoughtful  woman.  But  her  heart  rejoiced  be- 
yond expression  that  no  matter  what  the  details  of 
the  night's  episode  had  been,  her  best-loved  object 
in  this  world  was  safe  and  sound.  She  would  go 
to  him  and  basking  in  the  sunshine  of  his  beloved 
presence  content  herself  as  best  she  could,  until  to- 
morrow's trains  should  bear  them  both  away. 

Alas!  When  she  came  to  the  room  where  she 
had  left  him  she  found  no  chance  to  "  bask."  Her 
"  sunshine  "  had  again  disappeared. 


CHAPTER  XI 

IN  EVANGELINE  LAND 

THE  obliging  operator  at  the  telegraph  office  was 
almost  at  her  wits'  end.  She  had  never  been  be- 
sieged so  early  in  the  morning  and  required  to  send 
so  many  lengthy  messages,  nor  have  them  come 
crowding  one  another  so  confusingly.  The  strange 
part  of  it  all  was  that  although  they  were  intended 
for  one  person,  a  Mr.  Ebenezer  Stark  of  Boston, 
there  were  three  persons  telegraphing  him. 

One  was  a  stout  lady  of  exceedingly  fashionable 
appearance  and  most  peremptory  manner.  As 
seemed  fitting  the  first  reply  of  Mr.  Ebenezer  Stark 
was  for  her,  and  assured  her  that  he  would  meet 
her  at  the  wharf,  with  a  carriage,  upon  the  arrival 
of  the  first  steamer  out  from  Yarmouth.  It  also  in- 
formed her  that  he  had  already  sent  her  word  by 
post  —  that  letter  could  follow  her  home  —  of  the 
dangerous  illness  of  her  mother  and  that  she  should 
make  all  possible  haste.  Thus  far  her  message 
suited  him  exactly.  He  made  no  mention  of  their 
son  nor  did  she.  It  went  without  saying  that 
Monty  would  accompany  his  mother  upon  her  re- 
turn trip. 

171 


172  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

Judge  Breckenridge  was  also  an  early  riser.  He 
had  met  Monty  hurrying  down  the  back  street  to- 
ward the  little  railway  station  and  the  office  in  its 
corner,  and  had  greeted  him  with  gay  surprise: 

"  Heigho,  lad !    Whither  so  fast  and  so  early  ?  " 

"  Trying  to  get  ahead  of  Mamma." 

"  Why,  Montmorency ! "  cried  the  gentleman, 
with  an  assumed  sternness  yet  a  twinkle  in  his  eye. 

"  Fact.  She's  on  the  road  somewhere,  but  she 
had  to  wait  for  them  to  hitch  up  a  rig  first.  Thinks 
she  can't  walk  these  few  blocks  alone,  I  suppose,  and 
didn't  suspect  I  could  have  escorted  her.  But 
'  Lovey '  didn't  tell  her  his  plans  till  he  knows  if 
he  can  carry  them  out.  But  I'm  glad  to  see  you.  I 
didn't  want  to  do  anything  sort  of  underhand  with 
you,  you  know.  Say,  Judge,  does  your  invitation 
to  go  camping  still  hold  good?  After  my  looking 
such  a  muff  and  acting  it  ?  " 

"  Certainly.  If  your  parents  permit,  I  shall  be 
glad  to  have  you.  I  think  that  a  few  weeks'  asso- 
ciation with  men  like  my  friends  would  give  you  a 
new  idea  of  true  manliness ;  and  I  can  promise  you 
to  hear  more  good  stories  from  the  '  Boys  '  than  you 
ever  heard  in  your  life." 

"  Thank  you,  sir.  I'm  going  to  wire  Papa  to  let 
me  stay.  What  he  says  goes,  even  with  Mamma. 
He  lets  her  have  her  way  about  my  school,  and 
clothes  and  all  that  stuff,  but  he  hasn't  ever  quite  let 
go  of  me  himself.  If  it  hadn't  been  for  Papa  I'd 
be  a  bigger  muff  than  I  am  now.  Only  he's  so 
awfuly  absorbed  in  business  that  he  never  takes  a 


173 

vacation  himself  or  does  anything  except  pile  up  the 
cash  and  shove  it  out  for  Mamma  to  spend.  Beg 
pardon,  I've  no  business  to  tell  you,  or  bother  you, 
with  our  affairs.  I  only  wanted  to  know  in  case  he 
says  '  Yes.' " 

They  were  almost  at  the  end  of  their  short  walk 
and  the  Judge's  face  lightened  with  a  whimsical  ex- 
pression, as  he  answered : 

"  Well,  Monty  lad,  muffs  are  mighty  handy  some- 
times. I  heard  Lucretia  say  they  wore  them  large 
last  winter !  If  I  take  a  muff  into  camp  I  shall  ex- 
pect it  to  add  to  the  general  comfort  of  the  party. 
Ready  to  warm  the  heart  of  anybody  who  happens 
to  get  lonely  or  out  of  sorts." 

"  This  muff  will  do  its  duty,  sir.  You'll  see ; 
if—" 

He  left  his  sentence  unfinished  and  although  his 
response  was  delayed  till  after  Mrs.  Stark's  had 
been  received  he  did  not  complain  of  it,  but  smil- 
ingly handed  it  to  the  Judge  to  peruse. 

His  outward  telegram  had  been: 

"  Papa,  let  me  stay ;  "  and  the  incoming  one  was : 
"  All  right.  Stay." 

He  did  not  inform  his  mother  why  he  was  there 
at  the  office  so  early  and  she  did  not  inquire.  She 
attributed  it  to  his  filial  affection  and  was  accord- 
ingly touched  by  it.  She  petted  him  as  usual,  and 
carried  him  back  to  the  hotel  in  her  phaeton,  while 
she  thrilled  with  satisfaction  at  the  knowledge  she 
could  at  last  get  away  from  a  benighted  region 
where  no  Sunday  trains  were  run. 


174  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

The  Judge's  messages  were  last,  and  the  longest. 
His  outgoing  one  gave  Mr.  Ebenezer  Stark  a 
sketchy  outline  of  his  vacation  plans,  announced 
the  gentlemen  who  would  share  it  with  him,  and 
added  a  formal  invitation  for  Montmorency  to  be 
of  the  party,  if  agreeable  to  the  lad's  friends.  Mr. 
Stark's  reply  was  heartily  grateful,  expressed  his 
appreciation  of  the  Judge's  courtesy  and  good  na- 
ture in  "  loading  himself  with  a  boy  of  the  calf 
age.  A  calf  of  good  enough  pedigree,  but  needed 
turning  out  to  pasture  away  from  the  mother,"  and 
a  little  more  to  that  nature. 

The  rub  came  when  trunks  were  being  packed 
and  Montmorency  announced  that  his  "  things " 
needn't  be  put  in ;  except  the  "  dudish  "  ones  which 
he  wouldn't  want  in  a  vacation  camp. 

Mrs.  Stark  was  so  astonished  that  she  was  silent 
and  during  that  interval  her  son  talked  and  ex- 
plained with  a  rapidity  that  left  her  no  chance  for 
reply.  "  Father  says  so,"  was  the  final  argument 
that  clinched  the  matter;  and  she  wisely  refrained 
from  further  controversy,  reflecting  that  "  Father  " 
might  alter  his  opinion  when  she  had  met  him  and 
reported  the  true  state  of  things.  Then  he  would, 
of  course,  promptly  recall  his  son  and  heir  from  a 
region  so  fraught  with  dangers  and  temptations  as 
this  Province. 

Therefore,  the  parting  was  effected  with  less 
friction  than  Monty  had  anticipated,  and  he  watched 
the  train  that  bore  his  too-solicitous  mother  out  of 
sight  with  a  delight  that,  for  the  present,  knew  no 


IN  tiVANGEUNE  LAND  175 

regret.  He  was  fully  in  earnest  to  "  make  a  man  " 
of  himself,  and  felt  that  he  would  be  better  able  to 
succeed  if  freed  from  the  indulgence  which  had 
surrounded  him  from  his  cradle. 

After  allowing  himself  the  relief  of  one  "  pigeon- 
wing  "  on  the  station-platform,  he  sprang  up  to  the 
steps  at  the  rear  of  the  hotel  stage  which  had 
brought  departing  guests  to  the  train  and  hugged 
Tommy,  perched  there,  till  the  little  fellow  squealed. 

"  Good  enough,  Tommy  boy !  I'm  to  rough  it 
now  to  my  heart's  content.  Ever  been  hunting  or 
fishing  in  the  woods,  younker  ?  " 

"  Yep.  Go  most  every  year  —  that  is,  I've  been 
once  —  with  the  Boss.  He's  the  best  hunter  any- 
where's  around.  It  was  him  got  all  those  moose 
and  caribou  heads  that  are  in  the  lobby.  Oh!  you 
bet  it's  cracky !  I'm  going  this  fall  if  —  if  I'm  let, 
and  my  mother  don't  make  me  go  to  school." 

"  Mothers  —  Well,  mothers  have  a  bad  way  of 
spoiling  a  fellow's  fun,  eh,  lad?  But  after  all, 
they're  a  pretty  good  arrangement.  I  hope  my 
mother'll  have  a  good  trip  over  to  Boston;  and 
see  ?  Look  there  ?  " 

With  that  he  pulled  from  his  pocket  a  handful 
of  silver,  explaining  that  when  she  traveled  Mrs. 
Stark  always  provided  herself  with  a  large  quantity 
of  "  change  "  expressly  for  "  tips,"  and  that  she  had 
generously  handed  the  amount  on  to  her  son,  since 
she  was  simply  "  going  home  "  and  wouldn't  need 
it. 

"  More  in  my  suit  case,  too,  Tommy.     But  —  I'm 


i;6  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

going  to  give  it  all  away  the  minute  I  get  back  to 
the  hotel." 

Tommy's  eyes  almost  bulged  from  his  head,  as 
he  ejaculated  in  intense  amazement: 

"You  never!" 

"  Fact.     I'm  going  to  begin  right  now." 

Tommy  nearly  fell  off  the  step.  There  in  his 
own  small  hand  lay  the  greater  part  of  what  had 
been  in  Montmorency's,  but  he  couldn't  believe  in 
his  own  good  fortune.  Despite  the  tips  he  re- 
ceived at  the  hotel  —  they  were  neither  many  nor 
generous  —  master  Thomas  Ransom  was  a  very 
poor  little  fellow.  He  held  his  position  at  the  inn 
by  the  fact  that  he  was  willing  to  work  "  for  his 
board  "  and  whatever  the  guests  might  chance  to  be- 
stow upon  him.  The  landlord  had  the  name  of  a 
"  skin-flint,"  whether  justly  or  not  the  boarders 
didn't  know. 

It  was  to  his  interest,  however,  to  serve  them 
well  and  he  did  it;  but  it  was  rumored  that  the 
"  help "  fared  upon  the  leavings  of  the  guests' 
plates,  and  in  that  atmosphere  of  healthy  appetites 
such  leavings  were  scant.  Anyway,  Tommy  was 
always  hungry,  and  the  fact  showed  in  his  pinched, 
eager  little  face. 

"  You're  foolin'.  Here  'tis  back ; "  he  finally 
gasped,  extending  his  hand  toward  Monty  with  a 
pitiful  attempt  at  a  smile. 

"  Fooling  ?  Not  one  bit.  You  put  that  where 
it's  safe,  and  the  first  chance  you  get  run  into  the 
village  to  some  restaurant  and  get  yourself  a  good 


IN  EVANGELINE  LAND  177 

square  meal.  Then  go  to  the  circus,  if  you  want. 
I  see  by  the  placards  that  one  is  coming. 

"  Oh !  Pshaw !  I  don't  know  what  to  say. 
But,  if  you  do  mean  it,  I  ain't  going  to  no  restau- 
rant. I'm  going  home  to  my  mother  the  first 
leave  off  I  get  and  give  it  to  her.  She  can't  make 
her  rent  hardly,  sewing,  and  she'll  cook  a  dinner 
for  me  to  the  queen's  taste!  Wish  you'd  come 
and  eat  it  with  us." 

"  Wish  I  could,"  answered  Monty,  with  a  warm 
glow  in  his  heart.  He  hadn't  often  had  such  a 
look  of  rapturous  gratitude  turned  upon  him  and 
it  gave  him  a  most  delightful  sensation.  "  But  you 
see  we're  off  by  the  afternoon  train.  Going  to 
hurry  along  now  till  we  get  into  camp.  See  you 
later,  maybe." 

Then  they  were  at  the  hotel  entrance  and  master 
Tommy  made  haste  to  bestow  his  treasure  in  the 
safest  place  he  knew  until  his  brief  hour  of  recre- 
ation should  arrive  and  he  could  take  it  home. 
But  how  he  worked  that  day!  Even  the  keen- 
eyed  proprietor  could  find  no  manner  of  fault  with 
the  nimble  little  fellow,  who  answered  bells  like  a 
flash,  so  smilingly  trotted  about  with  pitchers  of 
ice-water,  and  so  regretfully  watched  the  departure 
of  the  Breckenridge  party  from  the  house.  And  in 
justice  to  him  be  it  said  this  regret  was  after  all 
and  most  sincerely  for  the  courteous  treatment  all 
of  them  had  given  him. 

"  Some  folks  —  some  folks  think  a  bell-boy 
hain't  no  feelings,  but  I  might  ha'  been  —  Why,  I 


i;8  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

might  ha'  been  them,  their  own  folks,  so  nice  they 
all  were  to  me ; "  thought  the  lad,  watching  the 
afternoon  train  bearing  them  all  away,  and  secretly 
wiping  the  tears  from  his  eyes.  However,  even  for 
him,  deserted  as  his  childish  heart  felt  then,  there 
was  comfort  The  circus  was  coming  to-morrow! 
It  would  be  his  day  off  and  he  had  the  money  to 
pay  for  his  ticket  and  one  for  Ma ! 

The  train  was  nearing  Wolfville  where  the  trav- 
elers were  to  leave  it  for  a  brief  visit  to  "  Evange- 
line  land  "  before  proceeding  to  Halifax  whence  the 
campers  would  set  out.  Aunt  Lucretia  had  checked 
off  the  various  stations  from  her  time-table  and 
now  announced: 

"  Better  get  your  things  together,  everybody. 
Next  stop  will  be  ours." 

Then  Montmorency  Vavasour-Stark  got  his  cour- 
age to  the  sticking  point  and  went  forward  to  where 
the  Judge  stood  looking  through  the  car  door  at  the 
landscape  whirling  by. 

"Judge  Breckenridge  will  you  do  me  a  favor? 
Another  one,  I  mean,  for  you've  done  a  lot  al- 
ready." 

"  Certainly,  if  it's  within  my  power." 

"  It  is,  easy  enough.  I  want  you  to  take  this 
and  keep  it  for  me.  I  want  to  actually  give  it 
away,  or  put  it  beyond  my  reach.  I've  been  think- 
ing it's  the  boys  without  money  that  amount  to 
something.  I  want  to  make  myself  poor  and  see  if 
I'm  worth  '  shucks '  aside  from  my  father's  cash." 

He  held  out  a  fat  pocketbook  but,  for  a  moment, 


IN  EVANGELINE  LAND  179 

the  Judge  did  not  appear  to  see  it.  He  looked  the 
lad  critically  over,  his  keen,  but  kindly  eyes  inter- 
ested and  yet  doubtful.  Then  he  said : 

"  I  don't  like  whimsies.  A  person  who  makes  a 
resolution  and  doesn't  keep  it  weakens  rather  than 
strengthens  his  character.  Have  you  the  slightest 
idea  what  it  means  to  be  '  poor,'  or  even  like  Melvin 
back  yonder,  who  has  but  a  very  small  wage  to  use 
for  his  own  ?  " 

"  I  don't  suppose  I  have.  But  I'd  like  to  try  it 
during  all  the  time  I'm  over  here  in  the  Province. 
What  I  mean  is  that  you  should  pay  all  my  neces- 
sary expenses  just  as  you  pay  for  the  others;  and 
beyond  that  I  don't  want  a  cent." 

"  Melvin  will  earn  a  little  for  his  work  in  camp. 
He  is  to  cook  and  do  whatever  is  needed.  There 
will  be  an  Indian  guide  with  us,  and  he,  of  course, 
will  have  his  regular  price  per  day,  or  week.  Be- 
yond these  two  helpers  we  '  Boys '  will  do  every- 
thing else  ourselves.  It  is  our  custom.  I  can't 
hire  you  and  pay  you,  as  an  extra.  If  that  were 
done  it  would  have  to  be  by  some  other  of  the  party 
and  it's  not  likely." 

The  gentleman's  tone  was  more  grave  than  the 
lad  felt  was  necessary,  but  it  made  him  reflect  a  little 
deeper  himself.  At  last  he  again  offered  the  purse, 
saying : 

"  I  mean  it.  It's  my  chance.  The  first  one  I 
ever  had  to  see  if  I  can  deny  myself  anything. 
Please  try  me." 

"  Very  well,  lad,  and  I  congratulate  you  on  the 


i8o  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

pluck  that  makes  the  effort.  However  —  your  last 
chance!  Once  made,  once  this  pocketbook  passes 
into  my  care  it  becomes  mine  for  the  rest  of  our 
stay  together." 

"  All  right,  sir.    That's  exactly  what  I  want." 

"  Do  you  know  how  much  is  in  it  ?  " 

"  To  a  cent.  And  it's  a  great  deal  too  much  for 
a  good-for-nothing  like  me." 

"  Don't  say  that,  Montmorency.  I  wouldn't  take 
a  '  good-for-nothing '  under  my  care  for  so  long  a 
time.  You  forget  I  already  have  a  '  muff  '  on  hand. 
I  congratulate  myself,  this  time,  on  having  secured 
a  '  good-for-something/  Ah !  here  we  are !  " 

The  Judge  took  the  purse  and  coolly  slipped  it 
into  his  own  pocket,  merely  adding : 

"  I  will  also  count  the  contents  and  make  a  note 
of  them  as  soon  as  I  can.  As  your  expenses  have 
been  paid  by  yourself  until  now  we'll  begin  our 
account  from  this  moment.  When  we  part  com- 
pany, soon  or  late,  you  shall  have  an  itemized  ac- 
count of  all  that  is  used  from  your  store." 

Then  the  conductor  came  through  the  car  call- 
ing: 

"  Wolfville !    All  out  for  Wolf ville !  " 

"  Out "  they  were  all,  in  a  minute,  and  again  the 
"  Flying  Bluenose  "  was  speeding  on  toward  the  end 
of  its  route. 

"  This  is  the  nearest,  or  best,  point  from  which  to 
make  our  excursion  to  Grand  Pre  and  old  Acadia, 
which  our  beloved  Longfellow  made  famous  by  his 
poem.  You'll  find  yourselves  '  Evangelined '  on 


IN  EVANGELINE  LAND  181 

every  hand  while  you're  here.  Glad  it's  so  pleasant. 
We  won't  have  to  waste  time  on  account  of  the 
weather." 

They  found  comfortable  quarters  for  the  night 
and  longer  if  desired  and  were  early  to  bed.  The 
girls  to  dream  of  the  hapless  maid  whose  story 
thrilled  their  romantic  souls;  and  Molly  went  to 
sleep  with  an  abridged  copy  of  the  poem  under  her 
pillow. 

Early  in  the  morning  she  and  Dorothy  took  a 
brisk  walk  through  the  pretty  village  and  peered 
into  the  shop  windows  where,  indeed,  the  name 
"  Evangeline "  seemed  tacked  to  most  articles  of 
commerce.  So  frequently  was  it  displayed  that 
when  they  met  a  meditative  cow  pacing  along  the 
dewy  street  Molly  exclaimed : 

"  I  wonder  if  that's  Evangeline's  '  dun  white 
cow,'  whatever  '  dun  white  '  may  be  like.  She  looks 
ancient  enough  and — Oh!  she's  coming  right  to- 
ward us ! " 

Molly  was  afraid  of  cows  and  instinctively  hid 
herself  behind  Dolly,  who  laughed  and  remarked : 

"  Poor  old  creature !  She  looks  as  if  she  might 
have  lived  in  the  days  of  the  Acadians,  she's  so  thin 
and  gaunt.  Yet  the  whole  street  is  grass-bordered 
if  she  chose  to  help  herself.  But  isn't  this  glorious? 
Can  you  hardly  wait  till  we  get  to  Grand  Pre? 
It's  only  a  few  miles  away  and  I'd  almost  rather 
walk  than  not." 

"  You'll  not  be  let  to  walk,  mind  that.  My  father 
has  had  enough  of  things  happening  to  us  young- 


182  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

sters.  I  heard  him  tell  Auntie  Lu  that  none  of  us 
must  be  allowed  out  of  sight  of  some  of  them,  the 
grown-ups,  till  we  were  landed  safe  on  that  farm, 
and  Auntie  laughed.  She  said  she  agreed  with 
him  but  she  wasn't  so  sure  about  even  a  farm  be- 
ing utterly  safe  from  adventures.  So  we'll  all  have 
to  walk  just  niminy-piminy  till  then.  We  shouldn't 
be  here  if  Miss  Greatorex  hadn't  said  she  too 
wanted  to  '  exercise.'  Now,  she's  beckoning  to  us 
and  we  must  turn  back.  Come  away  from  staring 
over  into  that  garden!  That  hedge  of  sweet-peas 
is  not  for  you,  honey,  badly  as  you  covet  it !  " 

"  All  right,  I'll  come.  But  I  wish,  I  wish  Father 
John  could  see  them.  I  never  saw  any  so  big  and 
free-blooming  as  they  are  in  this  beautiful 
Province." 

"  It's  the  moisture  and  coolness  of  the  air,  Auntie 
Lu  says.  Now,  Miss  Greatorex,  do  make  Dolly 
Doodles  walk  between  us,  else  she'll  never  tear  her- 
self away  from  the  lovely  gardens  we  pass." 

But  they  were  not  late  to  breakfast,  nevertheless. 
They  had  learned  at  last  that  nothing  so  annoyed 
the  genial  Judge  as  want  of  punctuality.  He 
planned  the  hours  of  his  day  to  a  nicety  and  by 
keeping  to  his  plans  managed  to  get  a  great  deal  of 
enjoyment  for  everybody. 

Already  carriages  to  take  them  on  the  drive  to 
Grand  Pre  and  the  old  Acadian  region  had  been 
ordered  and  were  at  the  door  when  they  had  break- 
fasted and  appeared  on  the  piazza.  The  two  girls 
were  helped  into  the  smaller  open  wagon  where 


IN  EVANGEL1NE  LAND  183 

Melvin  sat  holding  the  reins  and  visibly  proud  of 
the  confidence  reposed  in  him,  and  on  the  front  seat 
of  this  the  Judge  also  took  his  place.  The  ladies 
with  Monty  and  a  driver  occupied  the  comfortable 
surrey;  and  already  other  vehicles  were  entering 
the  hotel  grounds,  engaged  by  other  tourists  for  the 
same  trip. 

Monty  looked  back  with  regret  at  the  other  young 
folks  and  longed  to  ask  the  Judge  to  exchange 
places;  then  laughed  to  himself  as  he  remembered 
that  it  was  no  longer  his  place  to  ask  favors  —  a 
penniless  boy  as  he  had  become ! 

That  was  a  never-to-be-forgotten  day  for  all  the 
party.  No  untoward  incident  marked  it,  but  so 
well-known  is  the  story  of  that  region  that  it  needs 
no  repetition  here.  Of  course  they  visited  the  fa- 
mous well  whence  "  Evangeline  "  drew  water  for 
her  herd,  and  almost  the  original  herd  might  have 
fed  in  the  meadow  surrounding  it,  so  peaceful  were 
the  cattle  cropping  the  grass  there.  They  saw  the 
"  old  willows  "  and  the  ancient  Covenanter  church, 
wherein  they  all  inscribed  their  names  upon  the 
pages  of  a  great  book  kept  for  that  special  pur- 
pose. 

The  church  especially  interested  Dorothy,  with 
its  quaint  old  pulpit  and  sounding  board,  its  high- 
backed  pews  and  small-paned  windows ;  and  when 
she  wandered  into  the  old  burying  ground  behind, 
with  its  periwinkle-covered  graves,  a  strange  sad- 
ness settled  over  her. 

The  whole  story  had  that  tendency  and  the  talk 


184  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

of  "  unknown  graves  "  roused  afresh  in  her  mind 
the  old  wonder : 

"  Where  are  my  own  parents'  graves,  if  they  are 
dead?  Where  are  they  if  they  are  still  alive?" 

With  this  in  mind  and  in  memory  of  these  other 
unknown  sleepers  whose  ancient  head-stones  had 
moved  her  so  profoundly,  she  gathered  from  the 
confines  of  the  field  a  bunch  of  that  periwinkle,  or 
myrtle  which  grew  there  so  abundantly.  Thrust- 
ing this  into  the  front  of  her  jacket  she  resolved  to 
pack  it  nicely  in  wet  moss  and  send  it  home  to  Alfar- 
etta,  with  the  request  that  she  would  plant  it  in  the 
cottage  garden.  Then  she  rejoined  the  others  at 
the  gate  and  the  ride  was  continued  to  another 
point  of  interest  called  "  Evangeline  Beach."  Why 
or  wherefore,  nobody  explained ;  yet  it  was  a  pretty 
enough  spot  on  the  shore  where  a  few  guests  of  a 
near-by  hotel  were  bathing  and  where  they  all 
stopped  to  rest  their  horses  before  the  long  ride 
home. 

Dorothy  was  full  of  thoughts  of  home  by  then, 
and  something  in  the  color  of  the  horse  which  had 
drawn  her  hither  awoke  tender  memories  of  pretty 
Portia,  now  doubtless  happily  grazing  on  a  dear 
mountain  far  away.  With  this  sentiment  in  mind 
she  stooped  and  plucked  a  handful  of  grass  and 
held  it  under  the  nose  of  the  pensive  livery-nag. 

But  alas,  for  sentiment!  Not  the  few  blades  of 
sea-grass  appealed  to  the  creature  who,  while  Dor- 
othy's head  was  turned,  stretched  forth  its  own  and 
pulled  the  myrtle  from  the  jacket  and  was  content- 


IN  EVANGELINE  LAND  185 

edly  munching  it  when  its  owner  discovered  its 
loss. 

"Dolly  Doodles,  whatever  are  you  dong?"  cried 
Molly,  running  up. 

"  She's  got  —  he's  got  my  '  Evangeline  '  vines ! 
I'm  getting  —  what  I  can !  " 

Molly  shouted  in  her  glee  and  the  rest  of  the 
party  drew  near  to  also  enjoy.  They  had  all 
alighted  to  walk  about  a  bit  and  stretch  their  limbs, 
and  now  watched  in  answering  amusement  the  brief 
tussle  between  maid  and  mare.  It  ended  with  the 
latter's  securing  the  lion's  share  of  the  goodly 
bunch;  but  myrtle  vines  are  tough  and  Dorothy 
came  off  a  partial  victor  with  one  spray  in  her 
hand.  It  had  lost  most  of  its  leaves  and  otherwise 
suffered  mischance,  yet  she  was  not  wholly  hope- 
less of  saving  that  much  alive;  and  in  any  case  the 
incident  had  banished  all  morbid  thoughts  from  her 
mind,  and  she  was  quite  the  merriest  of  all  during 
that  long  drive  homeward  to  the  hotel. 

As  they  alighted  Monty  stepped  gallantly  for- 
ward and  offered: 

"  When  we  get  to  Halifax  I'll  buy  you  a  slender 
vase  and  you  can  keep  it  in  water  till  you  go  home 
yourself.  Or  I'll  send  back  to  that  graveyard  and 
pay  somebody  to  send  you  on  a  lot,  after  you  get 
back  to  your  own  home." 

"  Oh !  thank  you.  That's  ever  so  kind,  and  I'll 
be  glad  of  the  vase.  But  you  needn't  send  for  any 
more  vines.  They  wouldn't  be  the  same  as  this  I 
gathered  myself  for  darling  Father  John." 


186  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"  But  you  shall  have  them  all  the  same.  They'd 
be  just  as  valuable  to  him  if  not  to  you  and  some 
of  those  boys  that  hung  around  the  church  would 
pack  it  for  a  little  money.  I'll  do  it,  sure." 

"  Will  you,  Montmorency?  How?"  asked  a 
voice  beside  him  and  the  lad  looked  up  into  the  face 
of  the  Judge. 

"No,  sir,  I  won't!  I'll  have  to  take  that  offer 
back,  Dorothy,  take  them  both  back,"  and  he 
flushed  furiously  at  her  surprised  and  questioning 
glance.  It  was  the  first  test  he  had  made  of  his 
"  poverty "  and  he  found  it  as  uncomfortable  as 
novel. 


"  HALIFAX  !    End  of  the  line !  " 

The  conductor's  announcement  was  followed  by 
the  usual  haste  and  bustle  among  the  passengers, 
the  taking  down  of  parcels  from  the  racks  over- 
head, and  a  general  settling  and  straightening  of 
travel-crushed  garments. 

This  little  preparatory  freshening  over,  the  trav- 
elers stepped  into  the  car  aisles  and  followed  the 
rush  forward;  passing  out  into  by  far  the  most 
pretentious  station  they  had  seen  in  the  Province. 
Lines  of  hackmen  were  drawn  up  alongside  the 
rail  which  bordered  the  paved  descent  to  the  rail- 
way level,  and  a  policeman  in  uniform  held  back 
the  too-solicitous  drivers  from  the  arriving 
strangers,  who  looked  about  them,  mostly,  in  doubt 
which  vehicle  to  select: 

"  Here  you  are  for  the  Halifax !  "  "  Right  this 
way  for  the  Queen !  Queen,  sir  ?  Queen,  madam  ? 
Finest  hotel  in  — "  "  Prince  Edward !  Right  on 
the  bluff  —  overlooking  — "  "  King's  Arms !  Car- 
riage for  the  King's  Arms?" 

To  the  rail  and  no  further  were  these  runners  for 
their  various  employers  permitted  to  go,  yet  even  at 
187 


188  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

that  few  feet  of  safe  distance  their  cries  were  so 
deafening  and  insistent  that  Dorothy  clapped  her 
hands  to  her  ears  and  shut  her  eyes,  lest  she  should 
grow  too  much  confused. 

But  there  was  no  hesitation  about  the  Judge. 
His  hotel  was  a  familiar  one,  their  rooms  engaged 
long  before ;  and  by  a  nod  he  summoned  the  'bus  of 
that  house,  marshalled  his  party  into  it,  handed  the 
runner  his  baggage  checks,  and  they  rolled  away 
through  the  streets  of  the  oldest  city  in  the  Province. 

Just  then  it  was  gay  with  illimitable  decorations 
of  bunting  and  flags,  in  honor  of  the  visit  of  the 
Viceroy  of  Canada  and  his  consort,  due  upon  the 
morrow. 

"  Oh,  Papa,  did  they  know  we  were  coming  ?  " 
mischievously  inquired  Molly,  as  vista  after  vista 
of  red  and  blue  and  white  unrolled  before  her  eager 
eyes.  "  I  never  saw  anything  like  it !  Even  at  our 
home  Carnival  there  wasn't  anything  to  compare." 

"  That's  Canada.  We  Yankees  boast  we  go 
ahead  of  everything  in  the  world  no  matter  what 
line  we  chance  to  follow.  Canada  doesn't  boast, 
she  simply  goes  ahead." 

"  Oh !  how  disloyal,  Schuyler !  "  protested  Aunt 
Lucretia,  herself  gazing  with  admiration  at  the 
buildings  whose  fronts  were  almost  solidly  covered 
with  artistically  arranged  decorations.  Of  course 
the  English  and  Canadian  flags  held  first  place,  but 
at  last  their  'bus  stopped  before  a  quaint  old  hotel 
whose  balconies  were  draped  with  as  many  Amer- 
ican as  English  banners. 


I 

SIGHT  SEEING  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES     189 

"Why,  is  this  an  American,  I  mean  a  United 
States  hotel  ?  "  asked  Auntie  Lu ;  while  Miss  Great- 
orex's  face  assumed  a  more  agreeable  expression 
than  it  had  worn  since  they  left  the  station.  She 
had  felt  hitherto  as  if  an  alien  nation  had  flaunted 
its  colors  in  her  own  patriotic  face;  but  her  com- 
mon sense  now  assured  her  that  these  people  had 
a  right  to  honor  their  rulers  after  their  own  fashion 
even  if  it  could  by  no  possibility  be  so  good  a  fash- 
ion as  reigned  in  her  beloved  States. 

The  youngsters  of  the  party  felt  nothing  but  de- 
light ;  and  as  a  squad  of  scarlet-coated  soldiers  came 
marching  toward  them  on  the  other  side  of  the 
street  Monty  tossed  up  his  cap  and  cheered.  Mel- 
vin  did  more,  as  was  natural.  They  marched  to  the 
tune  of  "  God  Save  the  King,"  and  were  on  their 
way  to  Parliament  House  to  give  an  evening  con- 
cert ;  and  as  the  'bus  came  abreast  of  the  squad 
with  its  fine  band  and  its  national  colors  floating  in 
front,  the  young  Yarmouthian  rose  and  bared  his 
head,  saluting  the  flag!  Then  he  dropped  back  to 
his  seat  with  a  slight  flush  on  his  fair  cheek,  as 
he  felt  the  eyes  of  the  three  strangers  rest  upon 
him  curiously.  Then  cried  Molly : 

"  That  was  funny !  I  forgot  you  weren't  a 
'  Yankee '  like  ourselves,  but  you  did  right,  you 
did  just  right.  I  wouldn't  have  let  Old  Glory  pass 
by  without  doing  it  my  honor.  But,  do  you  know, 
Auntie  Lu,  I  feel  as  if  this  were  a  foreign  country 
and  not  part  of  our  own  America  ?  " 

She  was  to  feel  it  more  and  more,  but  to  find  a 


igo  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

keen  delight  in  all  that  was  so  new  to  her  and  so 
matter  of  fact  to  Melvin.  Even  the  dishes  served 
at  table,  were  decidedly  "  English "  in  name  and 
flavor,  though  there  were  plenty  of  other  and  more 
familiar  ones  upon  the  menu. 

After  this  supper  which  was  more  hearty  than 
most  dinners  at  home,  they  walked  to  the  post-office 
and  found  a  heap  of  mail  that  had  been  forwarded 
along  their  route.  As  usual  there  were  letters  from 
the  "  Boys  "  and  the  Judge  hailed  with  delight  the 
news  that  they,  as  well  as  the  Governor-General, 
would  be  among  the  morrow's  arrivals. 

"  We'll  stay  till  Sunday  in  Halifax,  then  start 
for  camp  on  Monday,  rain  or  shine,  wind,  fog,  or 
sunshine;"  wrote  the  correspondent  who  arranged 
matters  from  the  other  end  of  the  line. 

"  Good  enough,  good  enough !  Then  my  vaca- 
tion will  actually  begin !  "  cried  the  pleased  man. 

"  And  pray,  what  do  you  call  the  days  that  have 
just  passed,  my  brother  ? "  demanded  Auntie  Lu, 
with  a  smile. 

"  My  dear,  I  call  that  a  '  personally  conducted 
tour,'  a  tour  of  great  responsibility  and  many  perils. 
After  Monday,  when  I  deposit  you  ladies  and  the 
youngsters  at  Farmer  Grimm's,  I  wash  my  hands 
of  the  whole  of  you  for  one  long,  delightful 
month !  " 

The  laugh  with  which  he  said  this  disarmed  the 
words  of  any  unkindness  and  was  echoed  by  an- 
other laugh  quite  free  from  offense. 

"  Very  well,   then,   Schuyler,   until   Monday  we 


SIGHT  SEEING  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES      191 

hold  you  to  your  '  personally '  conducting.  You 
must  take  us  everywhere,  show  us  everything  that 
is  worth  while.  I  want  to  go  to  the  '  Martello ' 
tower;  to  the  Citadel,  the  old  churches,  the  parks, 
all  over  the  harbor  on  all  sorts  and  conditions  of 
boats,  to — " 

But  the  Judge  held  up  his  hand,  protesting.  Then 
asked : 

"  Suppose  it  proves  a  foggy  season  ?  Fog  is  one 
of  the  things  to  be  counted  upon  in  all  parts  of 
this  country,  more  especially  here.  One  summer  I 
was  here  three  weeks  and  the  sun  didn't  shine 
once ! " 

However,  Mrs.  Hungerford  was  bent  upon  en- 
joying and  making  others  enjoy  this  visit;  and  she 
laughingly  assured  him  that  they  were  all  "  fog 
proof." 

"  Every  one  of  us  has  overshoes,  umbrella,  and 
raincoat.  We  feminines  I  mean  and  '  boys  '  aren't 
supposed  to  mind  any  sort  of  weather.  Am  I  not 
right,  Melvin?" 

"  Yes,  Mrs.  Hungerford,  I  fancy  you  are.  We 
have  so  much  wet  weather  we're  'most  unprepared 
for  sunshine,  don't  you  know." 

This  was  so  long  a  remark  for  Melvin,  and  so 
thoroughly  "  English  "  with  its  "  fancy  "  and  "  don't 
you  know,"  that  all  laughed. 

But  they  waked  in  the  morning  to  find  the  Judge's 
fear  of  a  fog  justified.  The  whole  city  was  a-drip. 
The  decorations  which  had  been  so  crisp  and  bril- 
liant on  the  day  before  hung  limp  and  already  dis- 


192  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

colored;  and  the  scarlet  and  white  bunting  which 
had  been  so  artistically  wreathed  about  columns 
and  cornices  now  clung  tightly  to  them  as  if  shiv- 
ering in  the  wet. 

It  was  a  disheartened  populace,  too,  which  one 
met  upon  the  street;  for  the  expense  had  been 
great  in  preparations  for  the  Governor's  visit  and 
the  week  of  Carnival  that  had  been  planned  seemed 
doomed  to  a  series  of  disappointments. 

None  the  less  Auntie  Lu  held  her  brother  to  his 
promise  to  escort  them  everywhere ;  and  everywhere 
they  went,  though  mostly  in  covered  carriages  or 
under  dripping  umbrellas.  One  morning  when  the 
sunshine  came  for  a  brief  visit  they  hastened  to  the 
street  before  the  Provincial  building  to  hear  the 
most  famous  band  in  all  the  Canadas  give  its  open 
air  concert.  Other  people  besides  themselves  had 
flocked  thither  at  the  first  ray  from  the  sun  and 
now  crowded  the  pavements  surrounding  the  iron- 
fenced  grounds.  Everybody  waxed  enthusiastic 
and  hopeful  till  —  suddenly  a  drop  fell  on  the  tip  of 
the  band  leader's  nose.  He  cast  one  glance  sky- 
ward but  continued  to  wield  his  baton  with  great 
flouish  and  skill.  Another  drop;  many;  and  the 
summer  crowd  swiftly  dispersed.  Not  so  our  sight- 
seers from  the  States.  But  let  Dorothy  tell  the 
tale  in  her  own  words  and  in  the  journal-letter  she 
faithfully  tried  to  keep  for  Father  John : 

"  Dear  Father :  — 

"  Since  we've  been  here  in  Halifax  I  haven't  had 


SIGHT  SEEING  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES     193 

a  chance  to  write  as  regular  as  I  ought.  You  see 
we  come  home  so  tired  and  wet  every  time  that  — 
Well,  I  just  can't  really  write. 

"  We  went  to  an  open  air  concert  in  the  heart  of 
the  city.  The  band  was,  were  —  which  is  right? 
Anyhow  the  men  all  had  on  their  Sunday  uniforms, 
the  most  beautiful  red  and  brass  and  buttons,  and 
their  instruments  shone  like  anything.  It  rained, 
still  they  didn't  even  wink,  except  the  head  of  them. 
He  was  brillianter  dressed  than  any  of  them  and  he 
didn't  like  the  rain.  You  could  see  that  plain  as 
plain.  They  all  had  little  stands  before  them  with 
their  music  on  and  the  music  got  wet  and  splattery, 
but  they  didn't  stop.  They  just  tossed  one  piece  of 
music  down  and  began  another,  after  they'd  waited 
a  little  bit  of  while,  to  get  their  breath,  I  reckon. 
By  and  by  all  the  people,  nearly,  had  gone  away 
from  the  sidewalk  yet  the  bank  played  right  along. 

"  Then  I  heard  somebody  laugh.  It  was  the 
Judge.  He  was  laughing  at  Auntie  Lu ;  he  always 
is  and  she  at  him.  When  she  asked  him  '  why,'  he 
said :  • '  I  was  thinking  this  was  a  match  game 
between  British  and  Yankee  pluck.  It's  the  Brit- 
isher's '  duty '  to  play  to  the  end  of  his  program 
and  he'll  do  it  if  he's  melted  into  a  little  heap  when 
he's  finished.  It  seems  to  be  Yankee  pluck,  or 
duty,  to  stand  out  here  in  this  melancholy  drizzle 
and  hold  on  as  long  as  he  does.' 

" '  Of  course,'  said  Mrs.  Hungerford,  '  it  would 
be  mean  of  us  to  desert  the  poor  chaps  and  leave 
them  without  a  listener  at  all.' 


194  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"  Then  he  said :  '  Let's  go  indoors  and  sit  in  the 
'  seats  of  the  mighty.' 

"  She  didn't  know  what  he  meant  but  he  soon 
showed  her.  The  Province  Building  where  their 
sort  of  Congress  meets  was  all  open  wide  and  they 
weren't  having  any  session,  it  not  being  session 
time.  So  we  went  in  and  sat  around  in  leather  cov- 
ered chairs,  only  Molly  and  I  and  the  boys  climbed 
up  on  the  window  seats  and  sat  there.  We  could 
hear  beautiful  and  we  got  quite  dry.  Only  it  isn't 
any  use  getting  dry,  daytimes,  'cause  you're  always 
going  right  out  and  getting  wet  again. 

"  Sunday  was  the  wettest  yet.  It  didn't  look  so 
and  Auntie  Lu  let  us  girls  put  on  white  dresses,  but 
she  made  us  take  our  raincoats  and  umbrellas  and 
rubbers  just  the  same.  We  went  to  the  soldiers' 
church  out  of  doors,  'cause  they'd  thought  it  was 
clearing  off.  There  were  benches  fixed  in  rows 
like  seats  in  church,  and  there  was  a  kind  of  pul- 
pit all  covered  by  a  great  English  flag.  Other 
benches  were  up  at  one  side.  They  were  for  the 
band.  By  and  by  a  bugle  blew  and  they  came 
marching,  marching  over  the  grass  from  the  big 
barracks  beyond.  The  field  sloped  right  down  the 
side  of  a  great  hill  and  at  the  foot,  seemed  so  close 
one  could  almost  touch  it  but  you  couldn't  for  there 
were  streets  between,  was  the  harbor  of  water. 

"  It  was  an  English  church  service  and  the  min- 
ister prayed  for  all  the  royal  family  one  by  one. 
The  soldier-band  played  the  chants  and  hymns  and 
they  and  anybody  wanted  sang  them.  After  a  little 


SIGHT  SEEING  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES      195 

while  it  rained  again  and  we  put  on  our  coats  and 
didn't  dare  to  raise  our  umbrellas,  'cause  we  were  in 
church  you  know. 

"  It  seemed  pretty  long  but  I  loved  it.  I  loved 
the  red  soldiers  and  the  beautiful  place  and  all. 
Auntie  Lu  said  it  was  a  good  sermon  and  that  the 
preacher  considerately  cut  it  pretty  short.  But  it 
wasn't  so  short  but  that  we  got  our  hats  dreadfully 
wet  and  Auntie  Lu  had  to  buy  herself  a  new  one  be- 
fore we  came  away  last  Monday  morning.  In  the 
evening  we  went  to  St.  Paul's,  which  is  the  oldest 
church  in  this  oldest  city  of  Markland,  as  some  call 
Nova  Scotia. 

"  Now  we  have  ridden  a  good  many  miles  in 
wagons  to  this  great  old  farmhouse  right  on  the 
edge  of  the  woods.  Miles  and  miles  of  woods, 
seems  if.  There  are  lakes  in  them  and  rivers  and 
game  of  every  sort,  seems  if,  to  hear  them  tell. 
Judge  Breckenridge's  friends  are  here,  too,  and  the 
Indian  guide.  He  calls  them  '  the  Boys,'  and  they 
do  act  like  boys  just  after  school's  let  out.  They 
laugh  and  joke  and  carry  on  till  Molly  and  I  just 
stare.  • 

"Judge  has  hired  a  river  to  fish  in.  Isn't  that 
funny?  To  pay  for  a  place  to  fish,  and  the  Farmer 
Grimm  we're  to  live  with  is  going  to  haul  all  their 
camp  things  out  there  to-morrow  morning  before 
sun-up.  Monty  and  Melvin  are  to  go,  too,  and  I 
expect  we  women  folks  '11  feel  pretty  lonesome. 

"  One  lovely  thing  the  Judge  did  for  me.  He 
hired  a  violin  for  me  to  practice  on  here.  He  said 


196  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

he  thought  it  would  pass  the  time  for  all  of  us. 
There's  a  piano,  too,  already  in  the  house,  and  Molly 
can  play  real  nice  on  that.  Her  Auntie  Lu  plays 
mag-nifi-cently.  I  wrote  that  out  in  syllables  so 
as  to  get  it  right  and  to  make  it  more  —  more  im- 
pressiver.  I'm  dreadful  tired  and  have  been  fin- 
ishing this  letter  sitting  on  the  floor  beside  a  great 
big  fire  on  the  hearth.  It  isn't  a  bit  too  warm, 
either,  even  though  the  sun  has  shone  again  to-day. 

"  Good-night.  Your  sleepy  Dorothy,  but  always 
loving  you  the  best  of  all  the  world. 

"  P.  S. —  The  funniest  thing  happened  after  sup- 
per. Two  the  funniest  ones.  The  bashful-bugler, 
that's  Melvin,  slipped  something  into  my  hand  and 
said :  *  That's  to  remember  me  by,  a  keepsake,  if 
anything  should  happen  to  me  out  in  the  woods. 
I  bought  it  for  you  that  day  in  Digby.'  When  I 
opened  the  little  box  there  was  one  those  weeny- 
wiggley  sort  of  silver  fishes,  they  call  the  *  Digby 
chickens,'  that  I'd  wanted  to  take  home  to  Alfy, 
But  I  shan't  take  her  this ;  I  shall  keep  it.  'Cause 
Molly  wants  one,  too,  and  when  we  get  our  next 
month's  allowance,  if  we  get  it,  we  can  write  and 
buy  some  by  mail. 

"  The  other  funny  thing  was  one  of  those  grown 
up  'boys.'  He  asked  me  to  play  for  him  and  had 
me  stand  right  near  him.  When  I  got  through  he 
looked  over  at  the  Judge  and  nodded  his  head. 
Two,  three  times  he  nodded  it  and  then  he  said, 
just  like  this  he  said  it :  'It  is  the  most  remark- 
able likeness  I  ever  saw.  You're  on  the  right  track 


SIGHT  SEEING  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES     197 

Schuy,  I'm  sure  of  it  1 '  And  the  Judge  cried  real 
pleased,  '  Hurray ! ' 

"  They  two  were  little  boys  together,  down  in 
the  south  where  they  lived  and  they  know  Mrs- 
Cecil  Calvert  real  well.  And  the  other  '  boy  '  said : 
'  Aunt  Betty  'd  ought  to  be  spanked  —  same  as  she's 
spanked  me  a  heap  of  times.' 

"  I  wonder  if  it  was  I  '  resembled '  anybody  and 
who!  I  wonder  why  any  gentleman  should  say 
such  a  dreadful  impolite  thing  about  that  dear  old 
lady !  I  wonder, —  Oh,  Father  John !  Your  little 
girl  so  often  wonders  many,  many  things !  Good 
night  at  last.  Molly  calls  real  cross  and  I  must  go. 

"  DOLLY." 

Dorothy's  letters  to  Mother  Martha  were  equally 
descriptive  though  not  so  long.  One  ran  thus : 

"Dearest  Mother  Martha:  — 

"  You  ought  to  see  this  farm  where  we're  living 
now.  It's  so  big  and  has  so  many  cattle  and  men 
working,  and  orchards  and  potato-fields.  They  call 
the  potatoes  '  Bluenoses '  just  as  they  call  the  Nova 
Scotia  folks.  The  house  is  part  stone  and  part 
wood.  The  stone  part  was  built  ever  and  ever  so 
long  ago;  strong  so  the  man  who  built  it  could 
protect  himself  against  the  Indians.  The  man  was 
English,  and  he  was  a  Grimm;  an  ancestor  of  this 
Mr.  Grimm  we  board  with.  The  Indians  were  Mic- 
macs  and  friends  of  the  French.  Seems  if  they 
were  all  fighting  all  together  all  the  time,  which 


198  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

should  own  the  land.  Mrs.  Grimm  says  there  have 
been  a  good  many  generations  live  here  though  all 
are  gone  now  except  her  husband  and  herself. 
They  are  more  than  seventy  years,  both  of  them, 
but  they  don't  act  one  bit  old.  She  cooks  and  tends 
to  things  though  she  has  two,  three  maids  to  help 
her.  He  rides  horseback  all  over  Ms  farm  and 
jumps  off  his  horse  and  works  with  the  men. 
Sometimes  he  drives  the  ox-carts  with  the  hay  and 
lets  us  ride. 

"  I  did  want  you  that  last  Saturday  in  Halifax. 
The  day  your  letter  came  to  me  with  the  one  dol- 
lar in  it.  I  expect  you  wanted  I  should  buy  some- 
thing to  bring  you  with  it  but  I  didn't.  Listen. 
It  was  what  they  called  a  '  green  market '  morn- 
ing. Rained  of  course,  or  was  terrible  foggy  be- 
tween showers.  The  market  is  just  a  lot  of  In- 
dians and  negroes,  and  a  few  white  people  sitting 
round  on  the  edge  of  the  sidewalk  all  around  a  big 
building.  The  Judge  told  me  many  of  them  had 
come  from  across  the  harbor,  miles  beyond  it,  so  far 
that  they'd  had  to  walk  half  the  night  to  bring 
their  stuff  to  market.  Think  of  that!  And  such 
funny  stuff  it  was.  Green  peas  shelled  in  little 
measures,  ready  to  cook.  (I  wish  they'd  have  them 
that  way  in  our  own  Lexington  market  at  home!) 
Wild  strawberries  —  I  didn't  see  any  other  kind,  no 
big  ones  like  we  have  in  Baltimore  or  at  home. 
The  berries  were  hulled  and  put  into  little  home- 
made birch-bark  baskets  that  the  Indian  women 
make  themselves,  just  pinned  together  at  the  end 


SIGHT  SEEING  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES      199 

with  a  thorn  or  stick.  Auntie  Lu  bought  some  for 
us  but  Miss  Greatorex  wouldn't  let  me  eat  the 
berries,  though  I  was  just  suffering  to!  She  said 
after  they'd  been  handled  by  those  dirty  Indian 
fingers  she  knew  they  were  full  of  microbes  or 
things  and  she  didn't  dare.  Oh!  dear!  I  wish 
she  didn't  feel  so  terrible  responsible  for  my  health, 
'cause  it  spoils  a  lot  of  my  good  times.  The  boys 
weren't  afraid  of  microbes  and  they  ate  the  berries 
but  I  have  the  basket.  It  will  be  all  I  have  to  bring 
you  from  Halifax;  because  one  of  those  Indian 
women  had  her  baby  with  her  and  she  looked  so 
poor  —  I  just  couldn't  help  giving  that  dollar  right 
to  her.  I  couldn't  really  help  it.  She  wanted  me 
to  take  baskets  in  pay  for  it,  but  I  knew  that 
wouldn't  be  giving.  You  won't  mind,  will  you, 
dearest  Mother  Martha?  if  the  only  thing  I  bring 
you  from  that  city  is  a  poor  Indian  woman's  bless- 
ing? You  always  give  to  the  poor  yourself,  so  I 
wasn't  afraid  you'd  scold.  There  are  just  two 
things  that  I'd  like  different  here,  on  this  lovely 
vacation.  One  is  if  only  you  and  father  were  here, 
too  f  Every  new  and  nice  thing  I  see,  or  good  time 
I  have,  I  do  so  want  them  for  you  both  also.  The 
other  is  —  I  wish,  I  wish  I  knew  who  my  father  and 
mother  were!  The  real  ones.  They  couldn't  have 
been  any  nicer  than  you  have  been  to  me,  but  folks 
that  don't  know  me  are  sure  to  ask  me  about  my 
family.  Molly  and  Monty  and  Melvin  are  always 
able  to  tell  about  theirs,  but  I  can't.  Her  mother, 
the  '  other  Molly,'  died  when  she  was  a  little  thing, 


too  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

but  she  knows  all  about  her.  The  Judge  has  a  beau- 
tiful miniature  of  this  *  other  Molly '  his  wife,  and 
takes  it  with  him  wherever  he  goes,  even  into  that 
camp,  where  we're  to  be  let  to  go,  maybe,  for  a  sal- 
mon dinner  that  the  '  Boys  '  catch  themselves. 

"  There  are  lots  of  books  in  this  old  house  and  a 
piano.  Each  generation  has  added  to  the  library 
and  Mrs.  Grimm  says  that  in  the  winter  she  and 
her  husband  read  'most  all  the  time.  Christmases, 
no  matter  how  deep  the  snow,  all  their  children 
come  home  and  then  the  rooms  are  opened  and 
warmed  and  they  have  such  fun.  Oh!  it  must  be 
grand  to  belong  to  a  big  family  and  know  it's  all 
your  own!  They  burn  great  logs  of  wood  and 
even  now  we  have  a  fire  on  the  living-room  hearth 
all  the  time.  One  of  the  young  Indian  boys  who 
works  here  has  nothing  else  for  his  chores  except  to 
keep  the  wood-boxes  filled  and  the  fires  fresh.  He's 
rather  a  nice  Indian  boy  but  he's  full  of  capers. 
Molly  is  so  lonesome  without  Monty  and  Melvin  to 
play  with  she  makes  plays  with  Anton.  I  don't 
think  Mrs.  Grimm  likes  it  and  I'm  sure  Aunt  Lu- 
cretia  doesn't,  for  I  heard  her  tell  Molly  so.  But 
nobody  can  keep  Molly  Breckenridge  still.  She 
doesn't  care  to  read  much  and  she  hates  practicing, 
and  she  cries  every  time  she  has  to  sew  a  seam, 
though  Mrs.  Hungerford  makes  her  do  that  '  for 
discipline.'  I  don't  know  what  would  become  of 
the  darling  if  it  wasn't  for  Anton.  She  likes  me, 
course,  but  I  can't  climb  trees  after  cherries,  or 
wade  in  ponds  after  water-lilies,  and  though  I  like 


SIGHT  SEEING  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES     aoi 

to  ride  horseback  with  her  I'm  afraid  to  go  beyond 
bounds  where  we're  told  to  stay.  Molly  isn't 
afraid. 

"  Please  give  my  love  to  Aunt  Chloe  and  write 
soon  to  your  loving 

"  DOROTHY." 

Having  finished  this  letter,  longer  than  common, 
Dorothy  wandered  out  of  doors  seeking  her  mate. 
She  was  nowhere  in  sight,  but  the  man  who  rode 
into  town  so  many  miles  away,  to  fetch  and  carry 
the  mail  and  to  bring  supplies  of  such  things  as  the 
farm  did  not  produce,  was  just  driving  up  the  road 
and  playfully  shook  his  mail-pouch  at  her.  She 
sped  to  meet  him,  was  helped  into  his  wagon  and 
received  the  pouch  in  her  arms.  She  and  Molly 
were  always  eager  to  "  go  meet  the  mail,"  which 
was  brought  to  them  only  every  other  day,  and 
whichever  was  first  and  obtained  it  was  given  the 
key  to  the  pouch  and  the  privilege  of  distributing 
its  contents.  This  privilege  would  be  Dorothy's 
to-day ;  and  she  skipped  into  the  living-room  and  to 
the  ladies  at  their  sewing,  dragging  the  pouch  be- 
hind her. 

Little  she  knew  of  its  contents;  or  that  among 
them  would  come  the  solution  of  that  "  wonder  " 
that  now  so  constantly  tormented  her  : — "  Who 
were  my  parents  ?  " 


CHAPTER  XIII 

A  MESSAGE  FOR  THE  CAMP 

WHEN  the  gray-haired  "  Boys  "  had  set  out  for 
camp,  they  had  left  word  at  the  farm  that  they 
wished  no  newspapers  or  mail  matter  of  that  sort 
forwarded  them.  Also,  most  of  them  had,  before 
leaving  their  own  homes,  asked  that  no  letters 
should  be  written  except  such  as  were  important, 
and  these  should  be  duly  marked  that.  They 
wished  to  forget  care  and  the  outside  world  as  far 
as  possible,  and  to  live  in  the  faith  that  "  no  news 
is  good  news." 

Therefore,  since  a  fortnight  had  elapsed,  there 
was  a  table  in  the  living-room  already  heaped  with 
the  mail  which  had  accumulated  during  that  time. 
Each  man's  portion  of  it  was  carefully  sorted  and 
placed  by  itself;  but  this  morning  Auntie  Lu,  upon 
whom  that  duty  devolved,  did  not  augment  her 
brother's  heap  by  the  three  envelopes  she  had  taken 
from  the  pouch.  She  sat  long  with  them  in  her 
lap,  pondering  the  course  she  should  follow,  for 
two  bore  a  Richmond  postmark  and  one  that  of 
Annapolis,  and  each  was  marked  according  to  direc- 
tion :  "  Important." 

202 


A  MESSAGE  FOR  THE  CAMP  203 

Miss  Greatorex  and  Dorothy  had  both  received  a 
letter  and  were  eagerly  perusing  them  upon  a  low 
window  seat,  and  Mrs.  Hunger  ford  left  her  own 
mail  unopened  to  glance  toward  them,  still  consid- 
ering what  she  should  do.  Her  gaze  rested  longest 
upon  the  girl,  whose  face  was  radiant  over  a  long, 
many-paged  epistle  from  Father  John.  The  young 
lips  were  parted  in  a  smile,  the  brown  eyes  were 
smiling  too,  and  Dolly  looketi  such  a  picture  of  in- 
nocent delight  that  a  pang  shot  through  the  observ- 
er's tender  heart.  For  she  knew  that  those 
"  Important "  letters  concerned  the  child.  They 
were  addressed  in  Ephraim  Cook's  familiar,  crabbed 
hand,  and  the  man  would  never  have  ventured  to 
disturb  the  peace  of  his  absent  employer  except  by 
that  employer's  command.  Also,  she  knew  that 
the  only  business  of  "  Importance  "  the  Judge  had 
entrusted  to  Mr.  Cook  was  that  concerning  Dor- 
othy C.  All  law  matters  were  attended  to  by  other, 
more  experienced  persons.  She  longed  to  break 
the  seals  and  read  the  contents  for  herself  and 
wished  now  that  she  had  asked  permission  so  to 
do,  but  she  could  not  open  another  person's  letter 
without  that  one's  desire. 

Presently,  she  glanced  through  her  own  letters 
and  sought  Mrs.  Grimm  in  her  kitchen,  busy  among 
her  maids  at  preparing  the  mid-day  meal,  always  an 
early  one  since  the  farm-hands  so  preferred  it; 
and  it  had  been  among  their  arrangements  that, 
although  her  "  boarders "  should  have  a  separate 
table  in  an  inner  room,  the  food  for  all  the  house- 


204  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

hold  should  be  the  same.  Nobody  could  complain 
of  this  for  the  housemistress  was  a  notable  cook 
and  her  supplies  generous. 

"  Beg  pardon,  Mrs.  Grimm,  for  interrupting  you, 
but  I  want  to  ask  if  there's  a  '  hand '  not  busy  who 
could  ride  out  to  camp  and  carry  some  letters  to 
my  brother.  I  am  anxious  he  should  have  them 
for  they  may  require  immediate  replies."  She  did 
not  add,  as  she  might,  that  an  intense  but  kindly 
curiosity  of  her  own  was  another  reason  for  the 
request. 

"Why,  I  can  hardly  tell,  Mrs.  Hungerford. 
They're  all  busy  in  the  fields,  and  my  husband  with 
them.  There  are  some  who  need  a  constant  super- 
vision and  my  man  believes  that  there's  nothing  so 
good  for  any  job  as  the  '  eye  of  the  master.'  Else, 
he'd  ride  into  the  woods  himself  and  think  naught 
of  it.  Let  me  consider  who  — " 

At  that  moment  Anton  came  into  the  kitchen  and 
threw  an  armful  of  hewn  wood  beside  the  great 
fireplace,  where  kettles  hung  upon  cranes  and 
"  Dutch  ovens  "  were  ranged  before  the  coals,  each 
filled  with  savory  food  for  hungry  people.  It  was 
a  spot  Mrs.  Hungerford  found  vastly  interesting, 
but  where  she  rarely  lingered;  for  her  presence 
seemed  to  disconcert  the  shy  French  maids  who 
served  their  mistress  there  and  whose  own  homes 
were  isolated  cottages  here  and  there.  So  she  was 
even  now  leaving  the  kitchen  when  she  chanced  to 
notice  Anton  and  asked : 

"Couldn't  this  lad  go?    I  know  that  he  heaped 


A  MESSAGE  FOR  THE  CAMP  ao$ 

the  boxes  in  the  living-room  and  our  bedrooms 
with  more  wood  than  we  can  use  to-night,  and 
surely  one  kitchen-fire  can  scarcely  require  more 
than  that  pile  yonder.  I  will  pay  him,  or  you, 
well,  if  he  can  be  spared  to  do  my  errand." 

This  guest  was  rarely  so  insistent  and  her  hostess 
saw  that  to  deny  her  the  favor  would  be  a  great 
disappointment ;  so  she  answered  that : 

"  Anton  can  be  spared  if  —  Anton  can  be  trusted. 
And  please,  understand,  dear  madam,  that  no  pay- 
ment for  such  trivial  service  would  be  accepted." 

"  But  it  is  a  long  ride  there  and  back,  longer  than 
into  Halifax  isn't  it?  Yet  the  man  who  goes  there 
makes  but  the  one  trip  a  day." 

"  That  is  for  other  reasons.  He  goes  out  in  the 
morning  upon  our  errands.  It  is  part  of  our  con- 
tract with  him  that  he  shall  stop  the  night  in  town 
with  his  family  and  return  the  next  day  early.  He 
is  really  our  caterer  and  postman.  But  Anton  — 
Anton  is  '  bound.'  And  Anton  needs  watching. 
Lad,  do  you  promise  that  if  I  let  you  take  a  horse 
and  ride  to  camp  you'll  do  the  lady's  errand  right 
and  ride  straight  home  again  ?  " 

He  had  lingered  just  within  the  kitchen  doorway, 
fooling  with  the  youngest  of  the  maids  who  re- 
sented his  teasing  by  a  sharp  clap  on  his  cheek,  but 
he  had  not  been  so  absorbed  in  this  pastime  that 
he  had  not  heard  every  word  spoken  between  his 
mistress  and  her  guest.  Knowing  that  he  was  in 
truth  an  untrustworthy  messenger,  he  resented  its 
being  told;  and  the  statement  that  no  payment 


206  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

would  be  accepted  angered  him.  He  was  a  bound- 
out  servant,  of  course.  So  were  many  other  lads  of 
the  Province  and  no  disgrace  in  it ;  but  if  a  free  gift 
were  offered,  was  it  not  his  to  take?  A  scowl 
settled  on  his  dark  face  and  he  listened  to  the  out- 
come of  the  matter  with  a  vindictive  interest.  Also, 
he  answered,  sullenly: 

"  'Tis  a  far  call  to  that  camp  in  the  woods  and 
one  must  ride  crooked,  not  '  straight,'  to  reach  it. 
'Twould  be  in  the  night  ere  Anton  could  be  back, 
and  there  is  no  moon." 

"  Tut,  lad !  When  was  Anton  ever  afraid  of  the 
night  or  the  dark?  Indeed,  some  tell  me  that  he 
loves  it  better  than  the  light.  The  Scripture  tells 
why.  Will  you  go  or  not?  And  will  you  do  the 
lady's  errand  right  ?  " 

"  The  master  read  in  the  Big  Book,  last  Sunday- 
day  that  ever  was,  how  the  '  laborer  is  worthy  of 
his  hire.'  That's  good  Scripture,  too,  Missus,  the 
hay-makers  say,  and  one  nudged  me  to  take  notice 
at  that  time." 

Mrs.  Grimm  hastily  turned  that  he  might  not 
see  the  smile  which  flitted  across  her  face,  and 
Auntie  Lu  as  suddenly  found  somehing  interesting 
to  observe  which  brought  her  back  also  toward  the 
quick-witted,  mischievous  lad.  She  longed  to  re- 
new her  offer  of  payment  but  would  not  interfere 
between  mistress  and  man,  so  waited  anxiously  for 
the  result.  It  came  after  a  moment,  Mrs.  Grimm 
saying : 

"  Go,  saddle  the  gray  mare  and  ride  upon  that 


A  MESSAGE  FOR  THE  CAMP  207 

errand.  You  shall  have  your  dinner  first,  and  a 
supper  in  a  napkin  to  cheer  you  on  the  ride  home. 
By  '  lights  out '  you  will  be  in  your  loft  with  the 
men.  Now  tidy  yourself  and  come  to  table." 

Anton  wasted  no  time  before  he  obeyed.  His 
sullenness  had  been  but  a  pretence  and  mostly  as- 
sumed in  order  to  secure  that  "  payment "  which 
the  "  foreign  "  lady  offered.  The  gray  mare  was  a 
fleet  traveler,  easy  under  the  saddle  —  though  for 
that  matter  he  rarely  used  one  —  and  he  loved  the 
forest.  A  half-day  away  from  the  mistress's  eye 
was  clear  delight.  She  had  said  nothing  against  a 
gun  or  a  fishing  line  and  not  even  the  best  guide 
in  that  region  knew  better  the  secret  of  wood  and 
stream  than  this  other  descendant  of  the  Micmacs. 

The  maid  he  had  teased  was  glad  to  be  quit  of 
him  and  hurried  to  dish  up  his  portion  of  the  dinner, 
while  Mrs.  Hungerford  returned  to  desk  to  write  a 
letter  to  her  brother  and  to  safely  make  all  into  a 
little  packet,  marked :  "  Private  and  Important." 

She  had  told  her  companions  of  Anton's  trip  and 
Dorothy  sped  out  of  doors  to  beg  the  lad : 

"  If  you  see  any  new  flowers,  some  of  those  wild 
orchids  Miss  Greatorex  read  grew  around  here,  will 
you  bring  me  some?  Just  a  few  for  specimens,  to 
press  for  Father  John  and  Mr.  Seth  ?  They  would 
be  so  pleased  and  I  will  be  so  grateful.  Will  you  ?  " 

Anton  nodded.  Promises  were  easy  to  make,  and 
to  break  if  he  wished.  Then  came  a  maid  from 
the  kitchen  with  a  message  for  her  home,  a  tiny 
clearing  on  the  edge  of  the  "  further  wood."  To 


208  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

her,  also,  a  promise  was  readily  spoken ;  and  master 
Anton  thrusting  the  securely  tied  packet  of  letters 
into  his  pocket,  bowed  to  Mrs.  Hungerford  with  a 
third  and  more  important  promise. 

"  'Tis  of  a  truth  I  will  deliver  this  into  the  hand 
of  the  man  they  call  a  Judge.  It  is  a  tedious  task, 
yes,  but  I  will  so  deliver  it.  Mayhap  he  too  re- 
members what  the  Scripture  says." 

He  uttered  the  last  sentence  in  a  low  tone,  with 
a  furtive  glance  houseward,  and  bearing  himself 
with  an  air  of  great  complacency.  He  had  become 
a  very  important  person  just  then,  had  Anton,  the 
"  bound  out."  Moreover,  he  was  wholly  honest  in 
his  determination  so  to  deliver  the  letters.  That 
Judge  in  the  woods  hadn't  heard  the  mistress's 
opinion  about  payment  and  it  wasn't  necessary  that 
he  should.  Other  farm  hands  had  witnessed  to  the 
liberality  of  those  odd  men  who  lived  in  a  tent,  wore 
old  clothes  when  they  could  wear  new,  and  cooked 
their  own  food  when  they  might  have  had  others 
cook  for  them.  Anton  was  not  afraid  to  trust  his 
"  payment "  to  the  man  who  owned  the  letters  in 
that  packet. 

Now  it  so  happened  that  Molly  was  riding  about 
the  grounds  and  up  and  down  a  leafy  lane  upon  a 
gentle  horse  that  her  father  had  engaged  for  her 
own  and  Dorothy's  enjoyment  while  on  that  lonely 
farm.  She  used  the  creature  far  more  than  Dor- 
othy, as  was  natural  and  right  enough ;  and  had 
mounted  it  that  day  to  escape  what  she  called  her 
chum's  "  everlasting  fiddling." 


A  MESSAGE  FOR  THE  CAMP.  aog 

Dorothy  was  as  fond  of  her  violin  as  Molly  averse 
to  her  piano ;  and  the  nearest  to  dispute  which  ever 
rose  between  them  was  on  account  of  Dolly's  devo- 
tion to  her  music.  She  had  even  complained  to 
Aunt  Lucretia  that  "  a  violin  made  her  head  ache." 
Whereupon  the  ambitious  violinist  had  begged  per- 
mission of  its  owner  to  use  an  empty  corncrib  at  the 
foot  of  the  "  long  orchard,"  as  a  music-room,  and 
there  "  squeaked "  as  long  and  as  loud  as  she 
pleased.  She  was  going  there  now,  violin  case  un- 
der her  arm,  to  pass  the  half-hour  before  dinner  and 
to  watch  the  men  come  in  from  the  fields,  at  the 
ringing  of  the  great  bell  which  hung  from  a  pole 
beside  the  kitchen  door.  To  her  the  country  was 
full  of  every  possible  delight,  but  poor  Molly  found 
it  "to  quiet  and  lonely  for  words."  So  she  spent 
more  and  more  of  her  time  on  every  pleasant  day, 
riding  up  and  down  the  lanes  or  following  Farmer 
Grimm  to  the  fields. 

Between  those  two  a  great  affection  had  sprung 
up.  He  liked  her  fearlessness  in  riding  and  laughed 
at  her  timidity  when  horned  cattle  appeared  any- 
where near.  He  was  proud  of  the  way  in  which 
she  could  take  a  fence  and  kept  her  with  him  all 
he  could. 

On  this  day,  however,  he  could  not  so  take  her. 
His  errands  were  too  far  afield  and  too  unsuited  for 
her,  and  that  was  why  she  now  rode  alone,  rather 
disconsolately  up  and  down,  until  she  saw  Anton 
come  out  of  the  stable  yard,  mounted  upon  the  gray 
mare  and  holding  his  head  like  a  prince. 


210  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"Anton!  Anton!  Oh!  are  you  going  riding? 
Take  me  with  you !  Please,  please,  Anton !  " 

For  answer  he  touched  Bess  with  his  heel  and 
she  flew  out  of  the  enclosure  like  a  bird. 

That  was  enough  for  Molly  Breckenridge. 
Queenie,  the  broken-tailed  sorrel  which  she  rode, 
was  as  swift  as  she  was  gentle  and  needed  no  goad 
of  heel  or  whip  to  spur  her  forward.  A  pat  of  the 
smooth  neck,  a  word  in  the  sensitive  ear  — "  Fetch 
him  out,  Queen !  " —  and  the  race  was  on. 

Anton  glanced  behind  and  the  spirit  of  mischief 
flamed  in  him.  They  rode  toward  the  forest  where 
a  few  wood-roads  entered,  each  of  which  he  knew 
to  its  finish,  not  one  of  which  knew  Molly.  Only 
this  much  she  did  know  that  Anton  lived  at  the 
farm,  where  she  lived.  Anton  rode  the  farmer's 
horse  as  she  did.  Anton  was  never  absent  from 
meals  and  it  was  dinner-time.  Therefore,  if  she 
thought  at  all  about  it  or  considered  further  than 
the  delight  of  a  real  race,  she  knew  that  back  to 
the  farm  would  Anton  go  and  she  could  follow. 

He  dashed  aside  from  the  wheel-rutted  track. 
She  stumbled  over  the  ridges,  kept  him  in  sight,  and 
followed  him.  He  doubled  and  twisted,  so  did  she. 
He  dashed  forward  in  a  long  straight  line,  curved, 
circled,  and  came  back  to  the  wood-road  some  dis- 
tance ahead.  She  did  not  curve  but  cut  his  circle 
by  a  short  line  and  brought  up  at  his  side. 

"  Huh !  'Tis  a  good  rider  you  are,  Miss  Molly, 
but  you'd  best  go  back  now.  I'm  for  the  camp." 

"  Never !     You  can't  be !     They   wouldn't  trust 


A  MESSAGE  FOR  THE  CAMP  211 

you,  you're  so  tricksy.  Who'd  want  you  there?  " 
He  was  instantly  offended  and  showed  it,  draw- 
ing himself  erect  on  the  gray  mare  and  tossing  his 
head  high  while  his  narrow  black  eyes  looked 
angrily  at  her.  Then  he  drew  from  his  blouse  the 
packet  Mrs.  Hungerford  had  given  him  and 
haughtily  explained: 

"For  that  Judge.  Now,  am  I  trusted?  No?" 
It  was  very  strange.  Ever  since  she  had  been  at 
the  farm  she  had  heard  of  Anton's  pranks  and 
trickiness.  Tasks  he  had  been  set  to  perform  were 
always  neglected  except  that  one  of  keeping  fuel 
supplied,  and  this  work  brought  him,  also,  con- 
stantly under  his  mistress's  eye.  Yet  he  allowed 
Molly  to  come  so  close  she  could  recognize  her 
aunt's  handwriting  outside  the  packet,  and  especially 
that  word  "  Important." 
Suddenly  she  resolved. 

"  Anton,  if  you  ride  to  camp  I  ride  with  you." 
"  You  will  not.  I  say  it."  He  wasn't  going  to 
be  disappointed  of  his  fun  along  the  way  by  the 
presence  of  this  girl,  and  no  time  had  been  told  him 
when  that  parcel  must  be  delivered.  It  must  come 
to  the  Judge  sometime,  that  was  all.  The  later  the 
better  for  him,  Anton,  the  more  leisure  to  enjoy  the 
wild  and  escape  that  eternal  carrying  of  wood. 
"  You  will  not,"  he  repeated,  more  firmly. 

"  I  will  so.  That  is  for  my  father.  His  name 
is  on  it  and  it  is  '  Important.'  I  will  see  that  he 
gets  it.  I  don't  trust  you,  Anton." 

He  was  rather  impressed  by  the  fact  that  she 


212  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

could  read  what  was  written  —  he  could  not.  He 
was  also  angered  further  by  that  unwise  remark 
about  not  trusting  him.  He  stared  at  her,  she 
stared  back.  Good !  It  was  a  battle  of  wills,  then ! 

He  seemed  to  waver,  smiled,  and  shrugged  his 
shoulders.  All  roads  lead  to  one's  goal,  if  one 
knows  them.  He  was  an  Indian.  He  could  not 
be  lost  in  any  forest,  he  who  was  wise  in  wood- 
craft and  could  tell  all  directions  by  signs  this  "  for- 
eigner" could  not  know.  He  snapped  his  fingers, 
airily,  pricked  Bess  forward  again  and  into  a  track- 
less wilderness. 

For  a  moment  Molly  hesitated.  Should  she  go 
back  and  give  up  this  chase?  Turning  around  she 
gazed  about  her  and  could  not  tell  which  way  she 
had  come. 

"  Why !  I  couldn't  go  back,  even  if  I  tried.  I 
don't  see  any  track  and  —  I  must  follow  him.  I 
can  hear  him  on  ahead,  by  the  breaking  branches  — 
Forward,  Queenie,  quick,  quick !  " 

But  Queenie  wasn't  pleased  to  "  forward."  She 
shrank  from  the  rude  pressure  of  the  undergrowth 
against  her  delicate  shanks  and,  for  an  instant,  set 
her  forefeet  stubbornly  among  the  ferns  and 
brambles.  But  Molly  was  now  past  tenderness 
with  any  mount  which  would  not  do  her  will  and 
Queenie  was  forced  into  the  path  she  hated  to 
tread.  Already  the  brief  delay  had  cost  her  the 
sound  of  the  gray  mare's  progress.  There  was 
neither  breaking  twig  nor  footfall  to  tell  her  whither 
that  tormenting  Anton  had  vanished.  There  was 


A  MESSAGE  FOR  THE  CAMP  213 

only  the  bruised  herbage  to  show  which  way  he  had 
ridden  and  she  must  follow ;  and  for  a  long  time  she 
kept  her  eyes  on  that  faint  lead  and  steadily  pur- 
sued it. 

Then  she  came  to  a  partly  open  glade  and  there 
she  lost  the  trail  entirely.  Across  this  glade  Anton 
had  certainly  passed  but  in  which  direction  she 
couldn't  even  guess.  She  reined  Queenie  to  a  stand 
and  called: 

"  Anton !  Anton !  ANTON ! !  "  and  after  another 
interval,  again :  "  ANTON !  " 

There  was  an  agony  of  fear  in  that  last  cry.  Had 
Anton  heard  it,  even  his  mischievous  heart  would 
have  been  touched  and  he  would  have  ridden  back 
to  reassure  her.  But  he  did  not  hear  her.  He  had 
now  struck  out  from  that  narrow  clearing  into  a 
road  he  knew  well,  by  the  blazed  trees  and  the 
wheel-marks  the  camp-teamster  had  left  upon  it. 
The  undergrowth  had  sprung  up  again,  almost  as 
completely  as  before  it  had  been  first  disturbed, 
and  even  had  Molly  found  that  trail  she  would  not 
have  known  enough  to  trace  it. 

But  he  was  now  on  his  own  right  road.  She  was 
where  —  she  pleased.  He  had  not  asked  her  to 
come,  he  had  tried  to  make  her  go  back.  He  had 
not  wanted  her  at  all,  but  she  had  taunted  him,  dis- 
trusted him,  and  yet  he  knew  that  this  once  he  was 
proving  trustworthy.  He  felt  that  little  packet 
safe  in  his  blouse  and  patted  the  cloth  above  it  com- 
mendingly. 

"  Good  boy,  Anton.     If  'tis  worth  payment,  this, 


214  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

payment  the  so  rich  Judge  will  give.  That  girl 
rides  well.  Let  her  take  care  of  herself.  Go, 
Bess !  " 

He  fished  a  little,  fired  a  shot  or  two  at  some  fly- 
ing bird,  then  remembered  that  a  shot  might  be 
heard  and  those  from  the  camp  come  to  inquire  why 
it  had  been  fired.  Save  themselves  there  were  sup- 
posed to  be  no  other  sportsmen  for  miles  around, 
and  they  would  surely  come,  if  from  no  other  mo- 
tive than  curiosity. 

It  was  supper-time  when  he  came  into  camp  and 
upon  a  picture  that  warmed  his  heart  and  banished 
from  it,  for  a  time,  that  rather  uncomfortable  sen- 
sation which  had  lately  affected  him.  He  had 
grown  fanciful  and  thought  a  night-bird's  call  was 
the  cry  of  somebody  lost  in  the  woods. 

He  was  glad  to  see  that  cheerful  fire,  to  smell  the 
savory  food  cooking  above  it,  to  observe  all  the 
rude  comforts  with  which  modern  sportsmen  sur- 
round themselves.  Those  boys  —  Why,  they  had 
positively  grown  fat!  And  how  they  were  laugh- 
ing and  fooling  with  one  another !  unrebuked  by  the 
older  campers,  who  sat  about  on  logs  or  stools,  and 
smoked  or  talked  or  sang  as  the  spirit  moved  them. 

The  Judge's  keen  eyes  were  the  first  to  see  the 
nose  of  the  gray  mare  appearing  through  the  thicket 
and  he  sprang  to  his  feet  with  a  little  exclamation 
of  alarm: 

"  Why,  Anton,  lad !  What  brings  you  here  ? 
Nothing  had  happened,  I  hope!  Eh,  what?  A 
packet  for  me?  All  right.  Thank  you.  You're 


A  MESSAGE  FOR  THE  CAMP  215 

just  in  time  to  join  us.  We've  had  fine  sport  to- 
day and  will  have  a  grand  meal  in  consequence. 
How's  everybody?  How's  my  little  Molly?  " 

Anton's  answer  was  an  indirect  one. 

"  You'll  tell  'em  I  brought  it  safe,  no?  " 

"  Why,  surely.  Did  anybody  doubt  you  would  ? 
And  if  it's  good  news,  a  good  fee  for  fetching  it. 
If  bad  —  fee  according !  " 

He  drew  a  little  apart,  opened  the  parcel  and 
read  the  letters.  Then  he  took  a  pad  from  his  tent 
and  wrote  a  brief  reply;  after  which  he  retied  the 
bundle  and  gave  it  back  to  Anton,  saying: 

"  Deliver  this  to  Mrs.  Hungerford  as  safely  as 
you  have  to  me  and  I  dare  say  she'll  give  you  an- 
other like  this ! " 

He  held  out  a  shining  silver  dollar  but  somehow, 
although  the  lad  did  take  it,  it  seemed  to  lie  very 
heavy  within  that  inner  pocket  where  he  dropped 
it. 

Supper  over,  all  grouped  about  the  fire  and  beset 
the  Indian  guide  for  a  fresl.  batch  of  ghost  stories, 
his  specialty  in  literature  or  tradition;  and  though 
Judge  Breckenridge  asked  his  messenger  if  it  were 
not  time  that  he  started  back  —  for  Aunt  Lu  had 
written  urging  him  to  keep  the  boy  no  longer  than 
was  absolutely  necessary  —  Anton  still  lingered. 
Hitherto  he  had  known  no  fear  of  any  forest.  He 
inherited  his  love  for  it  and  his  knowledge.  He 
had  even  loved  best  to  prowl  in  its  depths  during 
the  moonlit  or  starlit  hours,  and  riding  hither  had 
anticipated  a  leisurely  return.  So  long  as  he  was 


216  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

back  at  the  farm  by  morning  he  saw  no  reason  to 
hurry  himself  before. 

Then  he  found  himself  listening  to  Monty's  ques- 
tion: 

"  You  say,  Guide,  that  these  very  woods,  right 
around  us,  are  '  haunted  ?  ' ' 

"  Sure.     Hark !  " 

There  was  a  strange  unearthly  cry  from  some- 
where in  the  distance  and  the  man  continued: 

"  Some  call  that  a  screech-owl !  But  I  know  it's 
the  cry  of  a  girl  who  was  lost  in  this  forest.  Why, 
Anton,  boy,  what's  happened  you  ?  " 

Anton  had  suddenly  swayed  in  his  seat  and  his 
face  under  its  copper  skin  had  turned  ghastly  pale. 


CHAPTER  XIV 

HOW  MOLLY  CAME  TO  CAMP 

t 

,  .  "  YES,  she  was  the  daughter  of  one  of  the  French 
squatters  on  that  very  lake  we've  fished  this  day. 
Susette  they  called  her,  and  she  was  days  in  the 
woods.  Out  of  this  Laque  de  la  Mort,  they  drew 
her  body;  but  still,  on  dark  nights,  her  spirit  wan- 
ders as  it  wandered  then,  before  she  sought  or  found 
rest  in  the  pool.  'Tis  easy,  sure.  Take  one  of  you 
men,  even,  and  set  you  away  from  all  the  guide- 
marks  we've  made,  you  could  not  find  your  way 
save  by  some  inherited  instinct.  We  Indians,  de- 
scendants of  the  forest  men,  get  that  instinct  with 
our  birth ;  even  we  who  have  lived  among  the  white 
men  all  our  days.  That  Anton  yonder,  though  he 
has  been  housed  under  a  roof  ever  since  he  was 
born,  I  warrant  me  he  could  be  set  in  some  unknown 
wilderness  but  would  find  a  way  out.  Is  it  not  so, 
Anton?"  asked  the  half-breed  story-teller,  shading 
his  eyes  from  the  firelight  to  look  at  the  boy. 

An  instant  later  he  had  risen  and  bent  above  An- 
ton, who  now  cowered  in  his  corner  his  head  bent 
upon  his  knees  and  his  whole  attitude  one  of  keen 
distress. 

217 


2i8  'DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"  Lad,  what's  amiss  with  you  ?  " 

Anton  tossed  off  the  kindly  hand  just  laid  upon 
his  shoulder  and  raised  a  face  that  had  grown  hag- 
gard, with  wild  terrified  eyes  staring  into  the  ques- 
tioner's face. 

"  Tis  a  lie,  no  ?  There  is  no  girl  wanders  the 
forest  nights!  You  are  fool,  Merimee,  with  your 
words ! " 

"  That's  as  a  man  judges.  Ghost  tales  were 
asked  and  told,  and  one  is  true.  I  know  it.  But 
fear  not,  lad.  No  spirit  will  molest  to  his  harm  one 
who  rides  through  the  wood  aright,  in  the  fear  of 
God  and  with  honesty  in  his  heart.  As  for  the 
ghost  of  poor  Susette,  hapless  maid!  Would  not 
one  with  a  spark  of  manhood  in  him  seek  to  help 
her  if  he  could?  But  alas!  When  one  is  dead, 
even  living  men  with  hearts  of  courage  can  avail 
nought.  But,  up.  You've  rested  and  supped. 
'Tis  time  you  were  a-saddle  and  riding  home  to  your 
duty.  Up  and  away.  Though  the  wood  looks  dark 
from  here,  'tis  because  of  our  fire  so  bright.  The 
stars  are  out  and  once  away  from  this  the  road  will 
seem  light  enough.  As  light  as  many  another 
when  you're  played  truant  to  your  master  to  wander 
in  it.  Up,  and  away !  " 

This  Merimee,  guide,  was  mostly  a  man  of  few 
words.  Yet  when,  as  now,  his  toil  for  the  day 
was  over  and  the  campers  gathered  for  an  evening 
chat  it  flattered  his  vanity  to  be  asked  for  the 
legends  and  traditions  of  the  countryside.  His 
tongue  had  been  loosened  and  he  used  it  thus  lib- 


HOW  MOLLY  CAME  TO  CAMP  219 

erally  for  the  benefit  of  Anton,  the  mischievous, 
who  "  shamed  his  duty "  as  old  Merimee  always 
honored  it.  As  he  finished  speaking  he  walked  to 
the  tree  where  the  gray  mare  was  fastened,  slipped 
on  its  saddle,  tightened  its  girth,  and  called : 

"Ready,  Anton!" 

And,  as  if  in  echo,  again  floated  through  the  air 
overhead  a  night-bird's  mournful  cry  and  Anton 
shrieked,  then  sprang  to  his  feet  shivering  with  ter- 
ror. 

The  men  stared  at  him,  astonished,  and  Monty 
ran  to  him,  shook  him,  and  demanded: 

"  Don't  you  know  better  than  that  ?  Scare  a  fel- 
low's wits  out  of  his  head?  That's  nothing  but 
the  same  old  bird  that's  kept  me  awake — " 

Melvin  shouted  in  laughter,  and  the  others  echoed 
him. 

"  Kept  you  awake !  Well,  I'd  like  to  know  when? 
You  that  always  go  to  sleep  over  your  supper  — 
if  you're  allowed !  " 

Monty  laughed,  also,  and  the  mirth  around  him 
seemed  to  restore  Anton's  composure  in  a  measure. 
But  happening  to  glance  toward  Judge  Brecken- 
ride  he  saw  that  gentleman  looking  at  him  keenly 
and  his  guilty  conscience  awoke.  In  fact,  the  Judge 
was  merely  interested  in  watching  the  changes 
which  fear  wrought  upon  Anton's  healthy  face  and 
was  growing  impatient  to  have  the  lad  start  home. 
He  knew  how  eagerly  his  sister  would  wait  to  read 
the  letters  he  was  returning  her  and  to  comply  with 
his  own  brief  instructions  concerning  them.  He 


220  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

was  a  man  who  wished  always  to  do  at  once  any- 
thing he  had  to  do ;  and  nothing  annoyed  him  more 
than  others'  shilly-shallying.  To  his  amazement, 
Anton  begged  him : 

"Don't!  Don't,  sir,  look  at  me  like  that!  I 
didn't  go  for  to  do  it !  She  —  she  done  it  herself !  " 

"  Who  did  what  ?  Have  you  lost  your  common 
sense  ?  " 

Then  it  all  came  out,  the  whole  miserable  story; 
in  broken  sentences,  with  keenest  regret  now,  un- 
happy Anton  told  of  Molly's  following,  of  the  trick 
he  had  played  upon  her,  and  of  the  fact  that  she 
was  now  wandering  somewhere  in  that  wild  forest 
alone,  save  for  old  Queenie. 

But  the  story  was  not  ended  before  every  mem- 
ber of  that  startled  group  was  on  his  feet,  ready 
for  search  and  rescue.  Though  he  could  almost 
have  killed  the  lad  where  he  cowered,  so  furious 
was  his  wrath  and  terrible  his  fear,  the  Judge  con- 
trolled himself  and  sternly  ordered : 

"  With  me  you  come,  Anton.  Close  to  me  you 
keep  and  lead  me  to  the  last  spot  where  you  left 
my  child.  If  we  find  her  not — " 

He  did  not  need  to  finish  his  sentence  with  a 
threat,  nor  did  he  wait  for  the  horse  which  Merimee 
made  haste  to  catch  and  saddle.  On  foot  he  started, 
Anton  held  by  an  iron  grasp,  and  they  two  were  out 
of  sight  before  the  others  had  quite  realized  that 
they  were  even  moving. 

Old  Merimee  took  charge  without  question;  or- 
ganizing his  little  company  into  bands  of  two  and 


HOW  MOLLY  CAME  TO  CAMP  221 

directing  each  pair  to  take  a  separate  route  througk 
the  woods,  but  all  verging  toward  the  east  and  the 
distant  farmhouse.  He  arranged  that  all,  carrying 
guns,  should  agree  upon  certain  signals;  one  shot 
meant  distress,  two  reports  called  for  reinforce- 
ment by  the  nearest  searchers;  and  three  —  or  a 
succession  of  more  —  good  news,  that  the  work  had 
happily  ended  and  the  word  was :  "  Back  to  the 
camp !  " 

The  old  college  president  took  Montmorency  as 
his  aide,  with  the  clannish  instinct  of  two  New  Eng- 
landers  for  one  another's  company.  Indeed,  this 
odd  pair  had  been  almost  constant  companions  since 
they  entered  the  woods,  and  the  lad  had  found  the 
alert  old  man  the  "  j oiliest  *  boy '  he  had  ever 
chummed  with." 

The  surgeon  called  Melvin  to  share  his  own 
search  and  the  merchant  strode  sturdily  forward  in 
the  wake  of  Merimee,  the  guide;  who  delayed  but 
long  enough  to  cover  the  fire  and  to  sling  over  his 
shoulder  a  hunting-horn.  He  had  often  used  this 
for  four-footed  game,  and  might  now  as  a  call  to 
the  Judge's  lost  daughter.  Seeing  Merimee  do  this 
sent  Melvin  also  back  to  his  tent,  yet  only  for  a 
moment.  Then  he  ran  after  his  partner  and  dis- 
appeared in  the  gloom  of  the  forest. 

Back  at  Farmer  Grimm's,  when  Molly  rode  out 
of  the  grounds,  there  had  been  none  to  see  her  go 
except  one  of  the  maids,  drooping  with  sick-head- 
ache against  the  back  porch.  Even  she  had  scarcely; 


222  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

realized  the  fact,  so  absorbed  was  she  by  her  own 
physical  misery.  There  her  mistress  found  her  and 
promptly  despatched  her  to  her  room  and  bed,  un- 
til she  should  recover,  and  it  was  not  till  some  hours 
later  that  she  descended  to  find  the  house  in  a  tur- 
moil of  search  and  anxiety.  At  dinner-time,  Mrs. 
(Hungerford  had  bidden  Dorothy  to  call  Molly ;  add- 
ing a  warning  word: 

"  Tell  her,  Dolly  dear,  that  she  must  come  at  once. 
Too  often  she  lingers  and  keeps  Mrs.  Grimm  wait- 
ing. That  isn't  right  because  this  household  is 
managed  as  systematically  as  your  own  Academy 
in  school  time.  Be  sure  and  tell  her." 

"  Yes,  Auntie  Lu,  when  I  find  her,"  answered 
Dorothy,  speeding  out  of  doors,  while  the  lady 
looked  after  her  with  more  than  ordinary  interest; 
thinking :  "  What  a  dear,  bonny  creature  that 
child  is!  And  I  am  so  glad,  I  hope  so  much  for 
her  now.  I'm  sure  Schuyler  will  bid  me  go  ahead 
and  write,  or  will  send  a  note  to  be  forwarded.  I 
can  hardly  wait  for  the  outcome  of  the  matter,  but 
Dorothy  must  know  nothing  —  nothing  —  until 
just  the  right  moment.  Then  for  the  climax,  and 
God  grant  it  be  a  happy  one ! " 

She  sat  down  on  the  broad  sill  by  the  open  win- 
dow to  wait  for  the  girls,  lost  in  her  own  happy 
thoughts,  until  Miss  Greatorex  came  and  asked : 

"  Did  you  know  that  dinner  had  been  served  some 
moments  and  is  fast  getting  cold?  It's  mutton  to- 
day, and  Mrs.  Grimm  is  fretting  that  '  mutton  must 
be  eaten  hot  to  be  good.'  " 


HOW  MOLLY  CAME  TO  CAMP  223 

"  So  late  ?  I  was  musing  over  something  — 
didn't  notice.  Have  the  girls  come  in  without  my 
seing  them  ?  " 

"  Neither  of  them." 

"  That's  odd.  By  the  way,  when  did  you  see 
Molly  ?  " 

"A  few  moments  after  breakfast,  I  think.  I've 
been  writing  all  morning  at  that  further  window 
and  have  scarcely  looked  out.  Why  ?  " 

"  She  hasn't  been  in  and  dearly  as  she  loves  riding 
I  never  knew  her  to  keep  on  with  it  so  long,  unless 
she  was  off  with  the  farmer.  I  sent  Dolly  to  call 
her  and  now  she  delays,  too." 

"  Very  well,  /  will  find  Dorothy ! "  said  Miss  Iso- 
bel,  with  an  air  of  authority.  She  considered  Mrs. 
Hungerford  quite  too  indulgent  to  her  niece  and 
was  all  the  more  strict  with  her  own  especial  charge 
for  that  reason.  She  now  left  the  room  with  a 
firm  step  and  was  still  wearing  an  air  of  discipline 
when  she  came  upon  Dorothy  emerging  from  the 
stables.  The  child  looked  perplexed  and  a  trifle 
frightened.  She  didn't  wait  for  her  governess  to 
upbraid  her  but  began  at  once : 

"  Oh,  dear  Miss  Isobel !  I  can't  find  her  any- 
where! Nobody  has  seen  her  and  Queenie  isn't  in 
her  stall.  I've  been  to  my  corncrib,  the  garden, 
the  long  orchard  all  through,  and  yet  she  isn't. 
Ah!  There's  Mr.  Grimm!  He's  finished  his  din- 
ner already  and  is  going  back  to  the  hay-fields. 
Please  excuse  me,  I'll  run  ask  him  if  he's  seen  her." 

"  Best   not    delay    longer   yourself,    Dorothy  — " 


224  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

called  Miss  Greatorex,  but  for  once  her  charge  did 
not  pause  at  this  tone  of  reproof;  and  a  first,  faint 
feeling  of  alarm  rose  in  her  own  breast. 

"  Molly,  lassie  ?  No,  indeed !  I  haven't  seen 
her  to-day.  I  was  off  to  work  before  she  came 
down  stairs,  but  I've  been  wishing  for  her  and  you, 
too,  the  livelong  day.  The  wild-roses  that  you  love 
are  blooming  wonderful.  All  my  far-away  mead- 
ows are  hedged  with  them  as  perfect  as  if  they'd 
been  set  out  a-purpose.  Miles  of  them,  I 
fancy,  are  on  this  old  farm ;  but  little  golden-haired 
Molly's  the  sweetest  wild-rose  I've  seen  this  sum- 
mer. For  you're  no  wild  rose,  lassie.  You're  one 
of  those  '  cinnamons,'  home-keepers,  close  by  the 
old  house  and  that  the  Missus  claims  are  the  pret- 
tiest in  all  the  world.  So  there's  a  compliment  for 
the  pair  of  you!  Wait  till  I  whistle!  Mistress 
Molly  knows  that  it  means :  '  Come !  I'm  waiting 
for  your  company ! '  'Twill  fetch  her,  sure,  if  she's 
within  the  sound  of  it." 

So  he  put  his  hands  to  his  lips  and  whistled  as 
only  he  could  do,  a  long,  musical  note  of  call  that 
reached  far  and  wide  and  that  the  missing  girl  had 
often  likened  to  the  sound  of  Melvin's  bugle. 

But  there  came  no  answer  of  Queenie's  footfalls 
over  the  gravel  nor  their  soft  thud-thud  upon  the 
grass,  and  the  farmer  felt  he  could  delay  no  longer. 
Yet,  could  he  go?  While  his  little  "  comrade  "  was 
missing?  Silly,  to  feel  a  moment's  alarm  at  such  a 
trivial  thing.  A  thoughtless  lassie,  sure  she  was, 
this  little  maid  of  the  far-away  southland;  but  oh! 


Dorothy's  Travels. 


"QUEENIE  TOO,  HAD  HEARD." 


HOW  MOLLY  CAME  TO  CAMP  225 

so  "  winsie."  No.  Let  the  hay  wait.  He'd  tarry 
a  bit  longer  and  be  on  hand  to  scold  Fair-Hair  when 
she  came  galloping  back  with  a  string  of  merry  ex- 
cuses tumbling  off  her  nimble  tongue,  her  ready 
"I  forgots"  or  "I  didn't  thinks"— the  teasing, 
adorable  witch  that  she  was! 

"  Fetch  me  my  pipe  and  my  paper,  Dorothy,  girl. 
I'll  wait  under  this  apple  tree  till  she  comes.  But 
do  you  all  get  your  dinners  and  not  so  many  go 
hungry  because  one  wild  child  loiters.  A  whisper! 
The  missus  is  getting  a  trifle  crisp,  in  the  kitchen 
yon.  She's  missing  the  nap  that  is  due  her  as  soon 
as  her  people  are  fed.  Best  make  haste.  It's  pleas- 
anter  for  all  on  the  Farm  when  Missus  is  left  to 
go  her  gait  regular,  without  hindrance  from  any. 
Go,  little  maid,  and  a  blessing  on  you." 

So  she  ran  and  brought  him  his  pipe  and  his 
paper,  received  a  kiss  for  her  pains,  and  left  him 
on  the  bench  under  the  apple-tree,  idle  because  little 
Molly  was  idle  —  no  better  reason  than  that  — 
though  this  was  his  busiest  time  and  he  a  most 
busy  man. 

But  Mrs.  Hungerford  could  not  eat,  even  though 
courtesy  compelled  her  to  table  and  to  taste  the 
good  fare  provided.  Her  want  of  appetite  banished 
Miss  Isobel's,  and  though  Dorothy  was  healthily 
hungry,  as  why  shouldn't  she  be?  even  she  sent 
away  her  plate  untouched,  and  was  the  first  of  the 
trio  to  put  into  words  the  dreadful  fear  that  was  in 
all  their  hearts : 

"  I  can't,  I  can't  eat !     Something  has  happened 


226  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

to  Molly!  Something  terrible  has  come  to  our 
Molly !  " 

That  ended  waiting.  After  that  the  farmer 
promptly  summoned  his  men,  the  mistress  her 
maids,  and  a  thorough  search  of  all  the  premises 
began.  Over  the  old-fashioned  well  with  its  long 
sweep  poor  Aunt  Lu  hovered  like  a  creature  dis- 
traught. 

That  well  had  held  a  fascination  for  the  novelty- 
loving  Molly,  in  this  case  its  age  being  the  to  her 
new  thing.  She  had  tried  her  own  strength  in 
lifting  the  great  beam  and  lowering  the  bucket  from 
its  pole;  and,  perhaps,  she  had  done  so  now  and 
had  fallen  over  the  curb  into  the  depths  below! 

In  vain  did  the  others  tell  her  how  almost  im- 
possible this  would  have  been ;  she  could  not  be  dis- 
suaded, and  most  earnestly  begged  the  farmer  to 
have  someone  search  the  well. 

"  No,  no,  dear  madam.  Not  till  we've  tried  other 
more  likely  spots  first.  The  last  time  Molly  was 
seen  was  on  Queenie's  back.  Well,  then  we  have 
only  to  find  the  sorrel  and  we'll  find  the  child. 
Take  comfort.  That  up-and-a-coming  little  lass 
isn't  down  anybody's  well.  Not  she." 

There  were  many  barns  and  outbuildings  on  that 
big  farm ;  some  new  and  modern,  some  old  and  dis- 
used. Not  one  was  left  unsearched.  All  work 
stopped.  Haymakers  and  ploughmen  left  their 
fields  to  add  their  willing  feet  and  keen  eyes  to  the 
business,  and  up-garret,  down  cellar,  through 
dairies,  pantries,  unused  chambers,  everywhere 


HOW  MOLLY  CAME  TO  CAMP  227 

within  doors  the  troubled  housemistress  led  her  own 
corps  of  searchers,  and  always  without  result.  This 
had  been  a  foregone  conclusion  yet  she  left  noth- 
ing undone  that  might  lead  to  the  discovery  of  the 
missing  girl;  while  the  longer  they  sought  the 
deeper  the  conviction  grew  in  all  those  anxious 
hearts  :  "  Molly  is  lost." 

'  It  was  the  maid  with  the  headache  who  furnished 
the  first  clue.  Coming  below  after  her  hours  of 
rest,  she  found  the  kitchen  deserted,  and  all  labor 
at  a  standstill.  Hearing  voices  without  she  ques- 
tioned the  first  she  met  and  was  told  in  faltering 
tones : 

"The  bonny  little  maid  is  — lost!" 

"Lost?    Where,  then,  is  Anton?" 

"  Gone  with  a  parcel  to  the  far-away  camp.  The 
mistress  sent  him  for  Mrs.  Hungerford." 

"  Well,  but,  the  maid  was  with  him.  That  is  she 
sought  to  be.  I  heard  her  call  after  him  as  he 
rode  away  and  I  thought  her  cries  would  split  my 
aching  head.  He  was  galloping  out  of  the  far  gate 
and  she  a-chase.  They  need  not  seek  her  here- 
abouts." 

Said  the  mistress,  in  vast  relief : 

"  I  might  have  known.  I  might  have  guessed. 
He  a  mischievous  tease,  she  a  wild,  impulsive  child." 
Then  she  hurried  to  poor  Auntie  Lu,  sitting  discon- 
solate beside  the  well  with  Dorothy  clasping  her 
hand  in  her  own  small  ones,  trying  to  comfort  as 
best  she  could,  and  exclaimed :  "  Fear  no  more ! 
We  should  have  thought  at  once  the  prank  that 


228  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

madcap  would  be  at  !  She  saw  Anton  ride  away 
to  the  camp  and  she  has  followed  him.  The  maid 
who  was  ill  remembers.  She  is  safe  with  her 
father  long  before  this.  Come  in  by,  now,  come 
in  and  have  a  cup  of  tea.  A  cup  of  tea  will  set 
you  up  again  like  anything." 

Aunt  Lu  was  greatly  cheered  but  it  took  more 
than  the  other's  panacea  of  a  "  cup  of  tea  "  to  ban- 
ish all  anxiety ;  yet  in  the  hope  that  had  been  raised 
she  passed  the  remainder  of  that  dreadful  day  as 
calmly  as  she  could  and  without  burdening  others 
with  the  fear  which  still  lingered  in  her  heart 

Upon  his  wife's  report  the  farmer  left  off  prying 
into  all  the  home  places  and  saddled  his  fleetest 
horse.  He  sent  all  the  men  back  to  the  fields  to 
house  the  abandoned  hay  machines  and  rusting 
ploughs,  and  to  attend  the  many  duties  of  so  great 
a  farm.  But  he  took  one  man  with  him  and  a 
**  snack  "  of  supper  in  their  pockets.  It  would  be  a 
long  ride  there  and  back  and  a  detour  might  be 
necessary.  Wherever  he  found  sign  of  the  child's 
wandering,  should  she  by  chance  have  lost  the  trail 
of  Anton,  whom  she  followed,  he  would  keep  to  the 
signs  and  not  the  shortest  route.  Many  a  place 
there  was,  of  course,  where  even  the  surest-footed 
horse  could  not  travel,  and  only  a  foot  passage  be 
made  with  difficulty. 

But  he  rode  round  to  5Vuntie  Lu,  now  coaxed 
within  doors  to  an  open  window,  and  cheerily  bade 
her: 

"  Keep  stout  heart,  my  woman  dear.    When  you 


HOW  MOLLY  CAME  TO  CAMP  229 

see  my  grizzled  face  again  you  shall  see  your 
Molly's  bonny  one  beside  it.  I'm  a  Grimm.  I  mean 
it."  " 

Then  he  bared  his  gray  head,  settled  himself 
firmly  in  his  saddle,  called  to  his  man :  "  Come 
on ! "  and  rode  as  gallantly  to  the  rescue  as  if  his 
seventy  winters  had  been  no  more  than  seventeen. 

All  this  time  where  was  Molly  ? 

When  she  found  that  Anton  had  disappeared 
from  that  open  spot  in  the  forest  she  was  at  first 
terrified  then  comforted. 

"  Why,  I  reckon  this  must  be  mighty  near  that 
camp,  after  all.  It's  most  clear  of  the  little  trees 
and  bushes,  like  some  the  farm-groves  that  any- 
body can  play  in  and  not  be  scared  or  —  or  get 
their  dresses  torn.  Queenie,  you  and  I  can  rest 
a  few  minutes.  Somehow  I'm  dreadful  tired.  I 
rode  such  a  lot  all  morning  and  now  away  out  here 
after  that  Anton.  He's  mean.  He  surely  is  dread- 
ful ornery.  When  I  see  him  again  I'll  just  hold  my 
head  mighty  high  and  take  no  notice.  Indians 
aren't  much  better  than  negroes,  I  reckon.  Any- 
how he  isn't  half  so  nice.  Catch  one  of  our  black 
'  boys  '  treating  '  little  missy  '  so !  You  hungry, 
too,  Queenie?  Well,  you're  luckier  than  I  for  you 
can  get  your  dinner  off  the  ground.  Go  ahead  and 
nibble  it.  I'll  wait  for  you ; "  she  said,  talking  to 
the  sorrel  as  if  she  were  human  and  could  under- 
stand, and  slipping  from  her  saddle  to  the  ground. 

After  a  moment's  contemplation  of  the  lovely 
place,  where  a  little  stream  ran  trickling  and 


230  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

babbling  over  stones,  and  where  the  ferns  were  high 
as  her  head,  looking  to  her  like  miniature  trees 
themselves,  she  began  to  feel  almost  contented. 
Open  places  between  the  pines  let  the  sunlight 
through  and,  where  it  fell,  the  wild  roses  which 
creep  everywhere  over  that  fair  land  had  forced 
themselves  into  a  home  and  bloomed  away  most 
bravely.  Then  she  espied  a  scarlet  patch  of  color 
underneath  and  found  that  they  were  the  wild 
strawberries  she  loved  so  well.  She  cried,  scram- 
bling after  these : 

"  Ah !  Queenie !  You're  not  the  only  one  can 
get  something  to  eat  away  out  here  in  the  woods. 
I  suppose  that's  the  kind  of  stream  Papa  fishes  for 
trout.  If  I  had  a  line  and  a  hook  and  —  and  what- 
ever I  needed  I  could  fish,  too.  But  I  wouldn't.  I 
never  would  like  to  kill  anything,  though  a  trout 
that  somebody  else  had  killed  would  make  a  mighty 
nice  dinner  right  now." 

The  berries  were  plenty,  and  "  enough  "  of  any- 
thing is  "  as  good  as  a  feast."  At  least  they  satis- 
fied her  immediate  hunger  as  the  water  from  the 
brook,  caught  in  a  little  cup  made  of  a  big  leaf,  sat- 
isfied her  thirst.  Queenie  slaked  her  own  thirst  at 
the  same  pool  and  was  so  quiet  and  content  that 
she  greatly  helped  to  cheer  her  small  compan- 
ion. 

Finally  Molly  remembered  a  maxim  she  had 
once  taught  Dorothy : 

"  When  you're  lost,  stay  right  still  in  that  spot 
till  somebody  comes  and  finds  you."  Not  always 


HOW  MOLLY  CAME  TO  CAMP  231 

the  safest  judgment,  it  may  be,  but  consoling  then 
to  this  small  girl. 

Then  she  continued  to  converse  with  the  sorrel 
mare ;  assuring  that  calm  creature : 

"  That  boy  went  away  out  of  here,  some  place, 
and  to  go  home  again  he'll  have  to  come  away  back. 
That's  plain  enough.  Now,  you  and  I  are  real 
safe,  Queenie,  really  perfectly  safe;  if  some  them 
mooses  or  caribous,  or  deers,  or  —  or  things  —  Let's 
not  think  about  them,  Queenie.  Let's  just  wait. 
Let's  —  let's  take  a  nap  if  we  can,  to  make  the  time 
pass  till  —  till  Anton  comes." 

She  wished  she  hadn't  happened  to  think  of  any 
"  wild  beasts  "  just  then  and  she  was  astonished  to 
see  Queenie  take  her  advice  so  literally ;  for  down 
upon  that  mossy  ground  dropped  the  sorrel,  did  its 
utmost  to  work  the  saddle  off  its  back,  and,  failing 
in  this,  stretched  itself  on  its  side  and  did  go  to 
sleep. 

Then  for  a  time  Molly  busied  herself  in  gather- 
ing flowers,  wherever  she  caught  sight  of  one,  and, 
thrusting  them  into  her  blouse,  told  Queenie  that 
"  these  are  for  that  terrible  flowery  girl,  Dorothy 
C.  Oh !  I  wonder  what  she  is  doing  now !  If  she 
isn't  scraping  away  on  that  old  fiddle  I'll  bet  she's 
missing  me.  'Tisn't  polite  for  girls  to  '  bet/  Auntie 
Lu  says.  Oh !  I  wish  I  could  see  her  now.  Funny 
I  should  be  so  lonesome,  right  in  the  daylight  with 
Queenie  here.  If  I  don't  look  out  I'll  be  crying; 
for  I'm  getting  that  awful  scared  way  I  was  when 
Anton  first  went.  I'll  lie  down  too  on  that  pile  of 


232  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

ferns  and  go  to  sleep  —  if  I  can.  I  hope  there 
aren't  any  wigglers  of  any  sort  to  get  into  my  ears. 
I'll  put  my  handkerchief  over  them  and  my  face 
on  that.  Let's  play  pretend  it's  bedtime,  Queenie. 
Good  night." 

There  was  no  response  from  the  weary  old  horse 
who  had  jogged  about  nearly  all  that  day  and 
Molly  waited  for  none.  A  merciful  drowsiness 
stole  upon  her  and  when  she  woke  again  the  night 
was  really  there.  Through  the  scattered  tree-tops 
she  could  see  the  stars  shining;  close  at  her  feet 
was  the  same  gentle  purring  of  the  little  stream, 
and  overhead  the  soft  rustle  of  pine  needles  mov- 
ing lightly  in  the  breeze.  But  what  had  wakened 
her?  Something  had,  she  knew.  Some  sound 
other  than  that  of  the  brook  or  the  pines.  Queenie 
too,  had  heard.  She  had  got  to  her  feet  and  was 
listening,  was  whinnying,  as  in  no  fear  of  whatever 
thing  it  was.  Molly  could  dimfy  see  the  old  horse 
against  the  background  of  gloom  but  her  presence 
was  vast  comfort. 

Hark!    HARK!! 

Molly  was  on  her  feet  now,  wider  awake  than  in 
all  her  life  before,  hands  clasped  to  her  breast, 
head  bent  forward,  listening  —  listening  —  listen- 
ing. 

"Toot!  Toot!  Tooty-ti-tooty-ti-toot !  " 

"  A  bugle !  A  bugle !  The  '  Assembly ! '  First 
call  to  meals!  Melvin's  coming!  Melvin  — 
MELVIN ! " 

Nearer  and  nearer  it  came.     It  was  at  hand.    On 


HOW  MOLLY  CAME  TO  CAMP  233 

the  other  side  the  murmuring  stream.  On  this 
side.  In  her  very  ears ;  and  screaming  "  Melvin !  " 
with  all  the  agony  of  fear  that  she  had  pent  within 
her  brave  heart,  Molly  fell  sobbing  in  the  "  Bash- 
ful Bugler's  "  arms. 

A  few  minutes  later  she  was  in  her  father's ;  and 
not  long  thereafter  sat  upon  his  knee  before  the 
camp-fire  with  her  head  upon  his  breast  and  he 
clasping  her  close,  close  in  an  embrace  that  held 
within  it  almost  an  agony  of  joy,  so  fierce  it  was. 


CHAPTER  XV 

MRS.    CALVERT    PLANS    AN    INFAIR 

INSTEAD  of  being  scolded  for  her  escapade  Molly 
found  herself  a  sort  of  heroine.  Nothing  could 
exceed  the  tenderness  of  her  thankful  father,  nor 
the  interest  of  all  the  campers.  The  signal  shots 
had  brought  them  all  back  to  the  camp,  and  there 
the  two  lads  went  immediately  to  work  to  cook  for 
the  girl  the  most  wonderful  of  suppers.  Monty 
had  caught  some  of  Melvin's  deftness  at  the  task 
and  was  most  ambitious  to  show  Molly  his  newly 
acquired  skill.  Also,  at  the  first  oportunity,  when 
the  Judge  had  for  a  moment  released  his  darling's 
hand  to  rise  and  greet  Farmer  Grimm  coming 
through  the  woods,  the  boy  proudly  pulled  from  his 
pocket  a  few  small  coins  and  displayed  them  upon 
his  palm. 

"  See  them,  Miss  Molly  ?  Hmm.  Those  are 
mine.  My  own.  I  —  earned  —  them  —  myself !  " 

He  paused  so  long  to  let  this  amazing  statement 
sink  into  her  mind  that  Melvin  called: 

"  Come  on,  Mont !  No  loafing !  Fetch  another 
bit  of  wood  and  get  on  your  hurry-up  step !  Mer- 
imee  covered  this  fire  so  snug  he  nigh  put  it  out, 

234 


MRS.  CALVERT  PLANS  AN  IN  FAIR          235 

but  wise  enough,  too.  A  fire  in  the  forest  isn't  a 
laughing  matter.  Look  out!  Don't  poke  it,  you 
clumsy,  else  you'll  tip  over  that  coffee-pot.  First 
time  we've  had  a  lady  to  visit  us  don't  want  to  act 
the  blunder-head,  do  you  ?  " 

"Oh!  hush,  Bugle!  No  call  to  bulldoze  a  fel- 
low just  because  you  happened  to  be  first  on  the 
spot !  What  made  you  think  of  carrying  that  thing, 
anyway  ?  " 

Molly  herself  drew  near  to  hear  the  answer.  She 
was  wondering  at  the  fact  of  their  jolly  comrade- 
ship, which  was  now  so  evident;  and  at  Monty's 
pride  over  a  little  money  —  he  who  had  cared  so 
little  for  it  once.  She  was  wondering  at  many 
things,  and  when  Melvin  did  not  at  once  reply  she 
repeated  Monty's  question. 

"  Melvin,  how  did  you  happen  to  take  the  bugle  ?  " 

"  Why  —  why  —  I  don't  know,  but  I  fancy  my 
mother  would  say  that  Providence  put  it  into  my 
mind.  My  mother  believes  that  Providence  has  a 
Hand  in  everything,  don't  you  know?  Anyhow,  I'm 
glad  I  .did  take  it.  Without  it  and  you  hearing  it 
we  might  have  wandered  right  past  that  very  place 
—  one  spot  looks  so  much  like  another  in  the  woods 
at  night." 

"  Melvin,  would  you  sell  me  that  bugle  ?  It  was 
that  saved  my  life,  maybe,  if  the  animals  I  thought 
about  had  come  or  if  —  Would  you  ?  "  asked  Molly, 
softly,  and  with  a  pathetic  clasping  of  her  hands, 
which  trembled  again  now,  as  she  recalled  past 
perils. 


236  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"  No,  Molly,  I  won't  sell  it  to  you.  I'll  give  it 
to  you,  if  you'll  take  it  that  way,  and  only  wish  it 
were  a  better  one.  It's  the  cheapest  made.  It  had 
to  be,  don't  you  know  ?  " 

For  a  moment  the  girl  hesitated.  She  did  not 
like  to  rob  the  lad  of  his  only  musical  enjoyment 
and  she  felt  that  he  could  not  afford  the  gift. 
Then  she  remembered  that  there  were  other  bugles 
in  the  world  and  that  she  had  but  to  suggest  to  her 
father  a  sort  of  exchange  for  the  better,  and  so 
satisfy  both  herself  and  Melvin.  So  she  said 
simply : 

"  I  shall  prize  it  as  the  greatest  treasure  in  the 
world,  and  I  thank  you,  I  —  I  can't  say  much  —  I 
can't  talk  when  I  feel  most  —  but  don't  you  know 
how  I  feel?  About  my  teasing  you  whenever  I 
had  the  chance  and  —  and  lots  of  things  ?  I'll  take 
the  bugle  if  —  if  '  you'll  call  the  slate  washed  clean,' 
as  Dolly  says,  and  we  can  begin  all  over  again  ?  " 
She  held  out  her  hand,  entreatingly,  and  the  shy  lad 
took  it  for  a  moment,  then  dropped  it  as  if  its  touch 
had  burned.  A  sudden  wave  of  his  old  bashfulness 
had  swept  over  him,  for  though  he  had  gained  much 
self-confidence  during  those  weeks  in  camp  it  would 
be  a  long  time  before  he  conquered  the  timidity  of 
his  nature,  if  he  ever  did. 

Then  she  asked  Monty  how  he  had  earned  money 
in  such  a  place  as  that  and  he  answered  proudly : 

"  Made  myself  generally  useful.  The  Prex  hired 
me  to  wait  on  him  and  keep  his  traps  in  order 
sometimes  —  when  the  other  old  'Boys '  would  let 


MRS.  CALVERT  PLANS  AN  INFAIR        237 

him  be  '  coddled.'  Every  man  for  himself,  you 
know,  out  here.  But  the  Prex  is  odd.  He  wants 
his  boots  blacked,  or  shoes,  that  he  puts  on  after  he 
takes  off  his  hunting  ones  and  I've  '  shined  '  'em  for 
him  like  any  street  bootblack  that  ever  did  my  own. 
Fact !  Fancy  what  my  mother  would  say !  Master 
Montmorency  Vavasour-Stark  blacking  shoes  in 
order  to  get  a  bit  of  pocket-money !  But  I  tell  you 
what,  Molly  Breckenridge,  I  like  it.  I'm  going  to 
have  one  of  these  dimes  made  into  a  watch-charm 
and  wear  it  always,  just  to  remind  me  how  fine  I 
felt  over  the  first,  the  very  first,  cent  I  ever  honestly 
earned.  And  it's  taught  me  one  thing.  I'll  quit 
idling.  I  shall  never  be  a  scholar  like  long-legged 
Jim,  but  I'll  do  things,  I  mean  it.  I'll  find  out 
what  I  can  do  best,  and  I  think  I  can  guess  that, 
and  then  I'm  going  ahead  to  do  it.  I'm  going  to 
ask  Papa  to  stop  giving  me  money.  I'm  going  to 
shock  my  mother  by  going  to  work.  But  —  that 
Prex  is  a  wise  old  chap.  He's  taught  hundreds, 
likely  thousands,  of  boys  to  make  decent  men  and 
he's  trying  to  teach  me.  He  says  — " 

"  O,  Monty !  Quit !  I've  broiled  that  salmon 
steak  to  the  Queen's  taste  and  the  coffee's  settled  as 
clear  as  that  spring  water  and  —  Supper's  ready, 
Miss  Molly  Breckenridge.  Will  your  ladyship  par- 
take ?  "  demanded  Melvin,  interrupting. 

Such  a  supper  that  was !  Odd,  that  all  the  camp- 
ers who  had  fared  so  heartily  just  a  little  while  be- 
fore should  suddenly  be  "  taken  hungry  "  again  and 
beg  an  invitation  too.  Even  Farmer  Grimm  and 


238  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

his  man  waited  to  feast  with  the  others  before  riding 
home  to  carry  the  good  news;  then  departed,  with 
the  forgiven  but  shame-faced  Anton  riding  between 
them  and  with  the  precious  packet  of  letters  trans- 
ferred from  his  pocket  to  his  master's  for  safe-keep- 
ing. 

Molly  stayed  the  night  to  rest ;  lying  snug  in  her 
father's  tent  while  he  sat  long  awake  thinking  of 
many  things ;  but  mostly  thankful  for  the  safety  of 
the  little  maid  whose  love  and  life  meant  all  the 
world  to  him.  The  dear,  repentant  child ;  who  had 
not  gone  to  sleep  till,  all  alone  with  him  in  the  se- 
clusion of  his  tent,  she  had  clasped  her  arms  about 
his  neck  and  begged  his  pardon  for  all  her  thought- 
lessness. 

"  It  was  terrible  there  in  the  dark  woods  when  I 
woke  and  found  I  was  lost,  alone;  but  that  wasn't 
half  so  terrible,  it  didn't  make  me  feel  half  so  bad  in 
here,"  laying  her  hand  upon  her  heart,  "  as  it  does 
knowing  how  unhappy  I've  made  everybody  and 
how  much  trouble  given.  Seems  if  I  never  would 
be  heedless  and  forget  again,  Papa  dearest,  seems 
if!  But  I'm  just  only  Molly  —  and  I  haven't  much 
faith  in  your  Molly,  Judge  Breckenridge ! " 

What  could  he  do  but  kiss  her  quivering  lips  and 
smile  at  the  whimiscal  way  in  which  she  expressed 
her  contriteness  ?  And,  after  all,  would  he  have 
had  her  greatly  different  from  what  she  was  by  na- 
ture, just  his  great-hearted,  impulsive,  precious 
Molly? 

Next  morning  she  rode  home  in  great  state.    With 


MRS.  CALVERT  PLANS  AN  INF  AIR         239 

Guide  Merimee  heading  the  little  cavalcade  and 
with  masters  Melvin  and  Monty  on  either  side  when 
that  was  practical  for  the  crowding  of  the  trees, 
and  as  van  or  rear  guard  it  was  not.  Because  the 
road  was  straight  enough  to  one  who  knew  it,  as 
did  the  half-breed  hunter,  and  that  happy  company 
followed  him  with  no  thought  of  care.  Monty  was 
laden  with  wild-flowers  of  every  sort  for  Dorothy; 
Melvin  had  store  of  forsaken  birds'  nests,  lichens, 
and  curious  bits  of  stone  or  bark  for  Miss  Greato- 
rex  to  add  to  her  "  collection,"  which  Mrs.  Hunger- 
ford  assured  her  would  cost  more  than  it  was  worth 
to  pass  the  revenue  officers.  "  No  matter  if  it 
does !  "  cried  the  happy  teacher,  "  Since  it  will  be 
such  an  addition  to  Miss  Rhinelander's  museum." 

The  guide  brought  fish,  freshly  caught  that  morn- 
ing before  daybreak,  and  enough  of  game  to  feast 
even  that  farm  crowd  of  "  hands ;  "  and  having  tar- 
ried long  enough  to  deliver  the  packet  to  Mrs.  Hun- 
gerford,  to  assure  her  that  her  brother  was  well  and 
more  than  happy  now;  that  he  and  the  other 
"  Boys  "  intended  to  lengthen  their  vacation  by  a 
few  weeks,  in  fact  to  "  stay  just  as  long  as  they 
could ;  "  to  add  that  by  no  means  must  Molly  ride 
"  off  grounds  "  again,  alone,  and  that  Anton  was 
not  to  be  punished  for  his  "  prank ;  "  and  to  partake 
of  Mrs.  Grimm's  most  excellent  food  and  drink. 
Then  he  called  the  lads,  now  almost  reluctant  to 
leave  the  pleasant  place  of  peace  and  plenty,  and 
rode  away  again,  they  following  and  looking  back 
again  and  again,  to  wave  farewell. 


240  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"  I  never  saw  so  great  an  improvement  in  two 
boys  as  in  those !  "  said  Auntie  Lu,  standing  to 
watch  them  disappear  toward  the  forest,  with  Molly 
fast  in  her  arms  and  Dorothy  beside  her;  then 
laughed  at  the  rather  awkward  manner  in  which 
she  had  expressed  herself,  as  she  saw  Miss  Greato- 
rex  regarding  her.  But  for  once  that  estimable 
person  was  not  critical  of  others'  speech  or  gram- 
mar; and  murmured  with  an  air  of  great  content: 

"  So  many  more  weeks  of  rest  and  time  to  write 
up  my  travels. " 

Mrs.  Hungerford  sighed,  but  conquered  the 
slight  loneliness  that  now  oppressed  her  and  set  to 
work  herself  upon  a  vigorous  correspondence  and 
the  carrying  forward  of  a  matter  her  brother  had 
outlined  for  her.  Sometimes  in  writing  these  let- 
ters she  asked  Dorothy  to  sit  beside  her  and  would 
frequently  look  at  the  girl  as  if  she  were  studying 
her  features  or  her  manner.  At  such  time  Dolly 
felt  a  little  awkward  and  perplexed,  yet  always,  in 
some  indefinable  manner,  as  if  this  scrutiny  were 
for  her  own  good.  Then  Auntie  Lu  would  laugh 
and  call  the  girl  her  "  Inspiration,"  and  write  the 
faster. 

Those  last  weeks  on  the  old  Farm  were  very 
quiet,  uneventful,  yet  most  happy  ones ;  and  the  two 
girls  passed  much  of  the  time  in  the  cool,  shadowy 
library,  among  the  fine  literature  therein  collected. 
For  Molly  had  no  further  desire  at  present  for 
,  "  larks  "  and  began,  instead,  to  find  out  how  much 
happiness  one  may  find  between  the  covers  of  a 


MRS.  CALVERT  PLANS  AN  INFAIR        241 

book.  Dorothy  introduced  her  to  Dickens,  and 
thereafter  the  merry  maid  needed  no  urging  to: 
"  Do  sit  down  and  read  and  let  me  do  so !  " 

One  morning  in  that  late  summer  time,  Mrs. 
Betty  Calvert  was  sitting  on  a  hotel  veranda  at  the 
Springs.  She  was  looking  very  handsome  and 
queenly,  in  her  white  gown,  her  piled-up,  snow- 
white  hair,  and  her  "  air  of  one  who  belonged  "  to  an 
old  "  aristocracy."  A  little  table  was  beside  her, 
heaped  with  her  morning's  mail ;  for  here,  even  as  in 
her  old  home  at  Bellvieu,  she  surrounded  herself 
with  more  such  reading  matter  than  she  could  use. 
But  the  letters  were  duly  read  and  re-read,  some  of 
them;  and  at  last  she  dropped  one  to  her  lap,  and 
remarked  to  a  gentleman  near  her : 

"  Cousin  Seth,  Lucretia  Breckenridge  always  was 
a  fool!" 

"  Hard  judgment,  Cousin  Betty.  I  should  have 
given  quite  the  contrary.  I  always  thought  her  a 
very  sweet,  sensible,  lovable  woman." 

"  Hmm.  You  see  a  deal  of  '  sweetness '  in  this 
silly  old  world.  But  look  here.  What  sensible 
woman  would  write  a  letter  of  twenty  pages  when 
one  would  do?  All  to  convince  me  of  something  I 
already  knew." 

"  Don't  expect  me  to  answer  that.  Go  on  and 
tell  me  what's  '  meat '  in  so  much  '  cocoanut.'  " 

"  She  believes  —  and  she  takes  pages  to  justify 
her  belief  —  that  she  has  traced  the  parentage  of 
one  Dorothy,  a  foundling!  Indeed!  Why,  Seth, 


242  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

those  people  up  in  that  unhappy  Nova  Scotia  —  un- 
happy to  be  afflicted  with  two  such  foolish  visitors 
—  they  think  themselves  detectives  fit  to  rank  with 
the  world's  greatest.  I  thought  Schuyler  had  some 
sense  if  Lucretia  hadn't.  If  they  weren't  already 
there  I'd  bid  them  both  '  go  to  Halifax  '  as  I  used  to 
be  bidden  when  I  was  a  naughty  little  girl  am", 
plagued  my  nurse.  She  makes  a  great  ado  about 
Dorothy's  '  unhappiness.'  I  can't  believe  that.  I 
never,  never  saw  a  happier  child  in  all  my  life.  The 
idea!  Lucretia  is  just  as  simple  as  she  was  always. 
She's  set  out  to  find  who  Dorothy's  parents  are  or 
were  and  she  thinks  she's  found.  The  idea!  The 
impertinent  minx !  "  fj 

The  "  Learned  Blacksmith "  did  not  reply,  but 
calmly  persued  his  own  paper.  He  was  a  black- 
smith transformed,  and  he  seemed  to  fit  into  this  en- 
vironment as  readily  and  completely  as  he  had  fitted 
the  simple  life  of  the  old  smithy  under  the  Great 
Balm  tree.  He  had  recovered  his  health  but  was 
sojourning  for  a  little  time  in  this  old  resort  of  his 
youth,  meeting  those  who  were  lads  and  maidens 
then  but  now  as  venerable  as  himself.  Few  among 
them  were  as  alert,  as  vigorous  and  as  young  of 
heart  as -Cousin  Betty  and  himself;  and  they  two 
had,  as  a  younger  guest  remarked :  "  Been  having 
the  time  of  their  lives.  Why,  that  black-eyed  old 
lady  has  more  attention  this  day  than  any  of  us 
girls;  and  as  for  wit  and  repartee,  there  isn't  her 
equal  this  year  at  our  Springs." 

After  a  few  moments  of  this  silence,  during  which 


MRS.  CALVERT  PLANS  AN  1NFAIR         243 

Mrs.  Calvert  tapped  her  white  slipper  impatiently, 
she  interrupted  her  companion's  reading  by  an 
exclamation : 

"  Seth  Winters,  do  put  up  that  tiresome  paper  and 
listen.  I  don't  believe  you've  comprehended  a 
single  sentence  you've  looked  at.  I  know.  Your 
eyes  had  that  hungry-for-Dorothy  look  in  them. 
Leastwise,  if  they  hadn't,  the  feel  of  it  is  in  my  own 
old  heart.  A  pretty  how'd-ye-do,  when  that  little 
Lu  Breckenridge-Hungerford  sets  out  to  hint  to  me 
of  my  duty!  a  slip  of  a  girl  like  her  —  the  saucy 
chit!" 

Old  Seth  laughed,  so  merrily  that  others  drew 
near  to  learn  the  sport;  seeing  which,  Mistress 
Elizabeth  Cecil  Somerset-Calvert,  rather  haughtily 
arose  and  remarked: 

"  Come,  Cousin  Seth,  I'd  like  to  take  a  walk." 

Pacing  the  green  grove,  up  and  down  its  smooth 
paths,  they  were  undisturbed ;  but  now  all  desire  for 
conversation  had  left  Mrs.  Betty.  She  was,  in- 
deed, in  deep  reflection;  wondering  if  a  certain 
course  she  had  followed  were  all  for  the  best  as  she 
had  hitherto  esteemed  it ;  and  the  only  hint  she  gave 
to  the  blacksmith  was  the  sentence : 

"  I  wanted  to  wait  till  she  came  of  her  own  ac- 
cord. I've  never  quite  forgiven  her  for  preferring 
that  woman  Martha  to  me." 

Then  she  went  on  in  a  silence  which  he  knew  her 
too  well  to  disturb  and  finally  she  announced: 

"  I  think  I'll  give  a  house  party  at  Deerhurst.  A 
regular  old-fashioned  'infair,'  though  it'll  be  no 


244  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

bride  for  whom  the  festivity  is  given.  After  the 
assembly  —  what  seems  best!  Those  Brecken- 
ridges  and  their  camping  friends ;  including  the  old 
'  boys '  and  young  ones.  The  foster  parents,  of 
course ;  and  Johnnie  must  be  written  to  about  bring- 
ing that  sealed  letter  of  mine,  that  I  entrusted  to  his 
care.  I  marked  it  not  to  be  opened  till  after  my 
death;  but  I  think  I'll  postpone  dying  —  if  God 
wills !  —  for  I'm  not  nearly  so  dumpish  as  I  was  the 
day  I  sealed  that  packet  and  set  my  directions  upon 
it.  I  may  open  it  and  I  may  not.  I  may  oblige  Lu 
Breckenridge  by  letting  her  think  she's  a  wonder- 
ful clever  woman,  and  I  may  take  the  wind  out  of 
her  sails  by  telling  her  —  the  truth.  What  do  you 
say  ?  Will  you  go  along  ?  " 

"  Will  I  not  ?  I  should  go  anyway,  whether  your 
house-warming-infair  materializes  or  not.  I  hope, 
though,  you  won't  change  your  mind,  because  I  long 
for  the  mountain  and  my  peaceful  life  upon  it.  I 
hope  you'll  stick  to  this  notion  longer  than  some 
others." 

"  Then  come  in  and  help  me  write  the  invitations 
and  set  things  in  trim  for  such  a  big  entertaining. 
After  they're  written  I  can't  change  my  mind,  you 
know,  though  I  rarely  do.  I  scorn  the  imputation. 
Only,  ought  I  to  do  it?  Will  it  be  for  the  best?  " 

"  Oh !  make  haste,  Betty  Calvert !  If  I  don't  get 
those  invitations  off  in  the  first  mail  I'll  never  be  al- 
lowed to  send  them  at  all !  " 

He  spoke  jestingly,  yet  not  without  deep  sym- 
pathy. The  "change  of  mind"  she  intimated 


MRS.  CALVERT  PLANS  AN  INFAIR         245 

meant  much,  very  much  to  little  Dorothy;  whose 
best  interests  nobdy  had  so  much  in  mind  as  these 
two  old  people  with  the  young  hearts.  But  his 
own  desire  was  now  for  the  clearing  of  all  that 
"  mystery  "  which  had  enveloped  the  child  from  her 
infancy  and  which  only  they  two  could  solve. 

The  notes  were  written  and  most  promptly  post- 
ed. Then  other  matters  were  put  in  line  to  make 
the  reopening  of  Deerhurst  the  most  memorable 
event  in  its  history.  Servants  were  ordered  thith- 
er, disused  rooms  were  aired  and  fitted  for  occu- 
pancy, every  scrap  of  fallen  leaf  or  intrusive  weed 
removed  from  its  drive-ways  and  paths,  and  in  all 
the  glory  of  its  early-autumn  beauty  the  fine  old 
place  awaited  the  coming  of  its  mistress  and  her 
guests. 

First  of  all  to  arrive  was  one  James  Barlow,  with 
two  kindly  happy  dogs,  leaping  and  barking  and 
doing  their  canine  best  to  express  their  happiness 
at  seeing  "  home  "  once  more.  "  Home  "  it  was  to 
the  lad,  also,  as  he  felt  it  now ;  tugging  stoutly  upon 
the  chains  of  the  Great  Danes,  lest  in  their  exuber- 
ant joy  they  should  break  away  from  him  to  gambol 
in  the  geranium  beds  that  glorified  the  lawn. 

Around  from  the  vine-draped  back  porch  came 
old  Ephraim  and  Dinah;  Hans  and  Griselda  Roe- 
mer,  who  greeted  Jim  in  their  hearty  German 
fashion,  as  if  he  were  their  own  son  come  home. 
And  bless  me!  If  out  of  that  great  kitchen  didn't 
issue  Ma  Babcock  herself,  and  all  her  daughters 
a-trail  behind ! 


246  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

"  Why,  Mrs.  Babcock,  you  here  ?  Surely,  this  is 
indeed  a  surprise !  "  cried  Jim,  releasing  the  Danes 
to  Ephraim's  care  and  clasping  the  hands  she  ex- 
tended toward  him. 

"  Well,  then,  it  needn't  be.  Me  and  Mis'  Calvert 
has  been  neighbors  this  long  while,  years  indeed. 
So  what  more  natural  than,  when  all  the  company 
was  comin'  and  help  so  hard  to  get  —  capable  help, 
you  know  —  up-mounting,  but  that  old  Seth,  the 
farrier,  should  write  me  the  invite  to  come  and  take 
a  hold  of  things  and  see  that  they  was  the  rightest 
kind  of  right  for  such  grand  doings?  So  I  come; 
and  I  had  to  fetch  the  girls  along,  'cause  I  never  do 
leave  them  out  of  any  the  good  times  I  have  my- 
self. Baretta  stop  holdin'  onto  my  skirt!  You'll 
pull  it  clean  out  the  gathers  and  it's  just  fresh- wash- 
ed and  ironed.  Claretta,  will  you  never,  never  quit 
suckin'  your  thumb?  Make  your  manners  pretty, 
darlin',  to  this  fine  gentleman !  Who,  after  all  said, 
is  nobody  but  Jim  Barlow,  makin'  the  most  of  his 
chance.  Why,  Alfy!  You  bashful?  Come  and 
shake  hands  with  your  old  friend  and  don't  act 
simple !  " 

So  Alfaretta  came  forward,  a  new  modesty  upon 
her  and  a  change  for  the  better  in  her  whole  ap- 
pearance, even  after  so  short  a  time  as  this  one 
summer.  And  both  happening  to  recall  how  she 
had  greeted  him  when  first  this  "  hero  "  was  pre- 
sented to  her,  they  laughed  and  the  "  ice  "  which 
had  formed  over  their  friendship  during  separation 
speedily  melted. 


MRS.  CALVERT  PLANS  AN  INFAIR         247 

"  Pa  Babcock,  you're  askin'  for  ?  Oh,  he's  well, 
that  kind  don't  never  have  nothing  the  matter  with 
their  health,  though  they're  always  thinking  they 
have.  He  stopped  with  his  sister  till  she  got  tired 
and  shook  him.  Then  he  went  to  Chicago,  where 
there's  such  a  lot  of  silly  Nanarchists  like  himself, 
and  there  he's  stayed.  I  hope  will  stay,  too,  till  the 
children  get  growed.  He  seems  to  be  makin'  his 
salt,  some  kind  of  livin',  and  he's  happy  as  a  clam  in 
high  water.  He  hasn't  a  thing  to  do  but  talk  and 
talkin'  suits  him  to  a  T.  Best  come  in  and  get 
washed  up.  A  letter  come  from  Dorothy's  parents 
and  the  pair  of  'em  will  be  to  the  Landing  by  the 
evening  boat.  Or  one  by  train  and  one  by  boat. 
Anyhow  they'll  both  be  there  and  I  'low  they'd  ad- 
mire, just  admire  that  it  should  be  you  drove  down 
to  meet  'em.  Me  and  Alfy  and  Dinah  '11  be  right 
on  hand  here  to  see  they  get  their  supper  and  to 
show  'em  where  they're  to  sleep.  You  best  hurry 
down  to  your  own  room  to  the  gate-house  and 
clean  yourself.  You're  powerful  dusty  and  your 
face  needs  washin'.  Alfy !  What  you  gigglin'  at  ? 
Ain't  I  tellin'  the  truth?  Ain't  he  a  sight?  " 

"  Yes,  Ma,  he  is ;  one  '  good  for  sore  eyes/  as 
you  sometimes  say ; "  and  with  this  inelegant  re- 
mark Miss  Alfaretta  walked  away  while  laughing, 
happy  Jim  sped  downwards  to  the  vine-wreathed 
lodge  at  the  great  entrance  gate.  He  had  been  hap- 
py all  that  summer,  never  more  so ;  yet  happier  than 
ever  now  as  he  stepped  into  the  freshly  furbished 
upper  chamber  which  was  his  own,  his  very  home. 


248  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

All  the  dear  familiar  books  on  the  shelves,  the 
snowy  bed,  the  dainty  neatness  of  the  place  that 
showed  the  motherly  touch  of  old  Griselda  every- 
where, even  to  the  bunch  of  flowers  upon  the  little 
table. 

Dolly  would  have  said  that  the  bouquet  looked 
"  Dutchy,"  like  the  kind  hands  which  had  arranged 
it ;  with  its  conflicting  colors  and  its  tightly  crowded 
bunches  of  bloom.  But  Dorothy  wasn't  there  to 
comment,  there  was  nobody  who  could  see  him,  and 
the  orphan  lad  who  had  not  yet  outgrown  his  boy- 
ish tenderness  suddenly  stooped  and  kissed  it.  Was 
this  in  memory  of  a  mother  he  had  never  known,  or 
because  of  his  gratitude  for  his  "  home  ?  " 


CHAPTER  XVI 

WHEN  JOURNEYS  END  IN  WELCOME 

"WELCOME!    Welcome!    WELCOME!!" 

The  blacksmith,  "  himself  once  more "  and  not 
the  summer  idler  on  a  hotel  veranda,  stood  at  Mrs. 
Betty's  right  hand  on  the  broad  steps  of  Deerhurst, 
to  greet  the  carriages  of  happy  folk  who  were 
whirled  over  the  curving  driveways  and  up  to  the 
hospitable  door  which  stood  wide  open,  as  if  eager 
to  embrace  them  all  in  its  own  genial  "welcome." 

Somehow,  there  was  a  slight  trembling  in  the 
hostess's  slender  frame  and  she  put  out  her  white 
hand  against  the  porch-pillar  to  steady  herself. 
Somehow,  too,  there  seemed  a  little  mist  in  her 
bright  eyes,  as  she  peered  anxiously  outward  toward 
her  arriving  guests.  Had  they  all  come  ?  Everyone 
whom  she  had  bidden  to  her  "  infair?  " 

In  the  first  carriage,  the  state  barouche,  sat  the 
four  grayheaded  "  Boys  "  whom  she  had  known  all 
their  lives  and  for  whom  her  best  was  prepared. 
In  the  next  was  "  that  slip  of  a  girl,"  one  Mrs.  Lu- 
cretia  Hungerford,  a  "  girl "  whose  locks  were  al- 
ready touched  with  the  rime  of  years;  a  rather 
249 


250  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

stern  and  dignified  person  who  could  be  no  other 
than  Miss  Isobel  Greatorex  of  whom  Dorothy  had 
written;  and  a  cadet  in  gray.  A  West  Pointer! 
Off  for  the  briefest  of  "  furloughs  "  and  a  too-short 
reunion  with  his  radiant  mother.  Cadet  Tom  Hun- 
gerford,  and  no  other.  Also,  within  that  open  trap 
a  third  gentlewoman,  brought  by  Mrs.  Hunger- 
ford's  invitation  for  a  short  "  tour  of  the  States  " 
to  see  what  sort  of  home  it  was  unto  which  she 
would  consign  her  son,  the  lad  Melvin  come  to  try 
his  fortunes  so  far  from  home.  The  little  widow, 
Mrs.  Cook,  indeed;  past  mistress  in  the  art  of 
making  gardens  and  good  dinners,  and  happy  in  her 
unexpected  outing  as  a  child.  To  her  bonny  face 
under  its  white  hair,  with  her  lovely  English  color 
and  her  sorrow-chastened  smile,  the  heart  of  Mrs. 
Betty  immediately  went  out  in  interest  and  ad- 
miration. Stranger  though  she  was  her  welcome, 
too,  was  ready. 

But  it  was  on  that  last  open  pony-cart,  with  its 
load  of  young  folks,  that  the  eye  of  the  hostess 
rested  first  and  last.  Such  a  gay  and  laughing 
quartette  that  was!  Molly  and  Dolly,  the  blonde 
and  the  brunette,  Monty  and  Melvin,  the  rotund 
and  the  slender ;  but  Dolly  the  gayest,  the  sweetest, 
the  darlingest  of  all! 

At  least,  that  was  what  some  of  those  welcoming 
people,  grouped  upon  the  steps,  believed  with  all 
their  hearts.  Father  John  and  Mother  Martha, 
Mr.  Seth  and  "  Fairy  Godmother,"  aye  and  honest 
Jim,  first  and  faithfullest  of  comrades  —  to  these 


WHEN  JOURNEYS  END  IN  WELCOME      251 

there  was  visible,  for  one  moment,  no  face  save  the 
face  of  smiling  Dorothy. 

When  they  were  all  housed  and  supper  ended, 
they  gathered  in  the  great  parlors,  which  Alfaretta's 
capable  hands  had  adorned  with  masses  of  golden- 
rod,  of  scarlet  woodbine  and  snowy  wreaths  of 
seeding  clematis  —  feathery  and  quite  "  too  graceful 
for  words,"  as  Dorothy  declared,  lovingly  hugging 
Alfaretta  who  lingered  by  the  door,  a  new  shyness 
upon  her,  yet  longing  to  be  beside  these  other  girls 
and  lads  no  older  than  she,  but  who  had  seen  so 
much  more  of  the  world  in  which  they  all  lived. 

Then  when  Mrs.  Betty  begged: 

"  Now  if  all  are  rested,  let's  compare  our  notes 
of  the  summer  and  tell  what  each  found  loveliest  to 
remember.  Come  in,  Alfaretta,  and  cuddle  down 
with  the  rest  upon  the  rugs  before  the  fire.  Old 
Deerhurst  is  at  its  best,  to-night,  filled  with  happi- 
ness. Now,  Dr.  Ryall,  as  once-master  of  these 
other  '  Boys/  can  you  give  your  happiest  thought 
of  the  summer  ?  " 

The  venerable  collegian  leaned  back  and  twirled 
his  thumbs.  He  had  left  his  boyishness  but  not  his 
happiness  back  in  the  Markland  woods,  and  it  was 
quite  gravely  yet  simply  he  answered : 

"  Why  yes,  Elizabeth,  and  easily.  It  was  the 
awakening  of  Monty  yonder  to  a  sense  of  his  own 
responsibility  as  a  human  being,  made  in  his  Cre- 
ator's image.  He's  got  down  to  bottom  facts.  He 
knows  it  isn't  dollars  but  doings  that  make  God's 
true  man.  Needn't  blush,  my  lad;  but  be  rever- 


253  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

ently  thankful."  Then  he  turned  a  merry  glance 
upon  the  company  and  demanded :  "  Next  ?  " 

And  as  if  he  were  still  in  the  class-room  ques- 
tioned upon  a  text-book,  his  merchant-pupil 
answered : 

"  The  happiest  sight  to  me  was  the  first  salmon  I 
landed!" 

"  A  good  and  honest  answer ! "  laughed  Mrs. 
Betty,  and  like  the  president  called :  "  Next !  " 

One  after  another  the  answers  came;  that  of  the 
surgeon  being  the  memory  of  a  wounded  fawn 
whom  he  had  cured  and  set  at  liberty  again.  The 
Judge's  happiest  moment  had  been  when  he  caught 
sight  of  Molly's  face  on  that  dark  night  in  the 
forest,  when  he  dreaded  lest  he  should  see  it  no 
more  alive  and  alight  with  love. 

All  had  some  answer  to  give,  even  Miss  Greato- 
rex,  who  wondered  why  they  smiled  when  she  re- 
corded her  blest  experience  in  discovering  a  rare 
specimen  of  quartz.  Surely,  that  was  the  very  best 
gift  she  was  bringing  home  to  "  the  Rhinelander," 
and  wasn't  it  a  specimen  worth  the  whole  trip  to  a 
"foreign"  land? 

Even  the  youngsters  were  pressed  to  tell  what 
they  had  found  choicest  and  when  Molly  answered 
the  question  put  to  her,  she  spoke  with  a  sweet 
solemnity :  "  The  sound  of  Melvin's  bugle  in  the 
wilderness." 

There  was  a  momentary  silence.  All  were  more 
moved  than  they  could  say,  remembering  how  dif- 
ferent a  group  this  would  have  been  had  that  bugle 


WHEN  JOURNEYS  END  IN  WELCOME      253 

never  blown  "  Assembly  "  in  that  far-away  forest 
Dorothy  said  nothing.  Even  when  it  came  to  her 
and  the  last  "  turn,"  she  could  only  turn  her  happy 
eyes  to  one  and  another  of  the  loved  faces  before 
her  and  shake  her  head.  There  had  been  times  out 
there  on  the  Nova  Scotia  farm  when  she  had  not 
been  happy ;  when  the  moods  of  "  wondering  "  had 
disturbed  her  peace  and  made  her  discontent.  That 
was  all  past  now  that  she  was  reunited  to  father 
John  and  Mother  Martha  and  somehow,  best  of  all, 
to  that  beautiful,  white-haired  "  Fairy  Godmother," 
who  had  caught  her  to  her  breast  in  such  a  tender 
fashion  and  had  even  left  tears  of  joy  from  the  old, 
dark  eyes  upon  her  own  upturned  cheek.  Why  had 
she  loved  the  lady  so?  Why  did  the  clasp  of  her 
slender  arms  seem  so  much  more  than  that  of  sturdy 
Mrs.  Martha?  Dorothy  inwardly  upbraided  her- 
self for  the  disloyal  feeling,  but  she  was  too  honest 
to  deny  even  to  herself  that  her  dearest  welcome 
home  had  come  from  one  on  whom  she  had  no 
claim. 

"Well,  Dolly  Doodles,  it  isn't  fair  for  all  the 
rest  to  tell  their  part  and  you  just  sit  mum  and 
stare  and  stare  and  stare!  Honey  Doll,  I'm 
ashamed  of  you !  "  cried  Molly. 

Thus  goaded  into  speech,  Dorothy  answered: 
The  happiest  thing  I've  known  isn't  past,  in  the 
summer-time,  but  just  right  now  and  here.    It's 
coming  home  to  Deerhurst  and   —  YOU !  " 

She  could  not  have  helped  it  and  she  could  not 
have  explained  why  not;  but  there  was  a  look  in 


254  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

Mrs.  Betty's  eyes,  an  appealing  tenderness  that 
went  straight  to  the  heart  of  the  girl,  who  sped  like 
an  arrow  shot  from  the  hearth  to  a  place  in  her 
hostess's  arms. 

And  again  there  was  silence ;  while  some  of  that 
goodly  company  exchanged  most  speaking  glances. 
Then  with  a  gesture  prouder  than  the  proudest  she 
had  ever  given,  Mrs.  Calvert  lifted  her  head  and 
beckoned  the  Judge. 

"  Schuyler,  you're  a  lawyer  and  that  rare  one,  an 
honest  man.  I  depute  you  to  open  this  sealed  doc- 
ument and  read  the  contents  to  the  company.  Prac- 
tically, it  is  my  *  last  will  and  testament ' — I  mean 
the  laet  one  I've  made,  though  I'm  likely  to  alter  it 
a  score  of  times  yet!  I  inscribed  it  to  be  opened 
after  my  death,'  but  as  I  feel  I've  just  secured  a  new 
lease  of  life  you  needn't  wait  for  that  but  shall  open 
it  now." 

She  spoke  with  all  her  old  whimsicality  but  with 
a  tremor  in  her  voice,  and  somehow  Seth  Winters 
managed  to  place  himself  a  little  nearer  to  her  and 
Dorothy  clung  the  tighter  about  her  neck. 

Not  yet  did  the  child  dream  that  this  sealed 
packet  related  to  herself  or  that  the  irrepressible 
feeling  which  had  sent  her  flying  to  the  old  gentle- 
woman's arms  had  been  the  call  of  the  blood.  She 
merely  felt  that  her  "  Godmother  "  needed  soothing 
and  that  it  was  her  delightful  duty  to  so  soothe. 

There  is  no  need  to  here  repeat  the  technical 
wording  of  what  the  Judge  so  distinctly  read  in  his 
clear,  strong  voice,  amid  a  silence  which  except  for 


WHEN  JOURNEYS  END  IN  WELCOME     255 

that  voice  would  have  echoed  the  falling  of  the 
proverbial  "  pin."  He  summed  it  up  after  one 
reading  in  a  brief  epitome : 

"  Dorothy,  otherwise  Dorothy  Elizabeth  Somer- 
set Calvert,  is  the  last  and  nearest  living  relative  of 
Mrs.  Elizabeth  Cecil  Somerset-Calvert.  She  is  the 
only  child  of  one  Cecil  Calvert,  deceased,  and  of 
Miriam  his  wife.  Cecil  Calvert,  herein  named,  was 
the  only  son  of  the  only  son  of  Mrs.  Calvert's  only 
brother.  The  descent  is  clear  and  unmistakable. 
Cecil  Calvert,  the  father  of  Dorothy,  was  early  left 
an  orphan  and  was  '  raised '  by  Mrs.  Betty,  pre- 
sumably to  be  her  heir.  When  he  came  of  age  to 
want  a  wife  she  provided  one  for  him.  He  ob- 
jected and  made  his  own  choice.  She  cut  him  off 
with  a  limited  income,  but  sufficient  for  one  differ- 
ently reared,  and  taking  his  bride  he  went  to  the 
far  West.  There  he  died  and  his  wife  soon  fol- 
lowed him ;  but  her  illness  was  a  lingering  one  and 
during  it  she  sought  to  provide  for  their  baby  Dor- 
othy. 

"  This  envelope  contains  her  letters  and  those  of 
her  husband,  written  after  his  fatal  seizure  to  Mrs. 
Calvert,  describing  everything  connected  with  their 
young  and,  as  it  proved,  improvident  lives.  Neither 
of  them,  the  sad  wife  protests,  had  ever  been  trained 
to  the  wise  handling  of  money  or  of  anything  use- 
ful. It  had  not  been  their  fault  so  much  as  their 
misfortunes  that  they  were  dying  in  what  was  to 
them  real  poverty;  and  the  pathetic  letters  ended 
with  the  declaration  that,  after  its  mother's  death, 


256  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

the  child  Dorothy  would  be  safely  convoyed  to  its 
great-great-aunt's  door  and  left  to  her  to  be  '  fairly 
dealt  with.'  It  was  all  quite  simple  and  direct; 
the  commonplace  story  of  many  other  lives." 

But  here  Mrs.  Betty,  stifling  the  emotion  which 
the  re-reading  of  the  papers  had  roused  in  her,  took 
up  the  tale  herself. 

"  When  the  baby  came  I  was  indignant.  That  at 
first.  I  felt  I  was  too  old  to  have  a  squalling  infant 
forced  into  my  house.  Then  better  thoughts  pre- 
vailed. I  saw  in  the  little  thing  traces  of  my  own 
family  likeness  and  I  would  have  kept  her.  It  was 
old  Dinah  and  Ephraim  who  advised  me  then  and 
wisely  I  believe,  though  there  have  been  times  when 
I've  wished  I  hadn't  listened  to  them.  They  told 
me  with  the  privilege  of  life-long  service,  that  I'd 
made  a  brilliant  failure  of  my  raising  of  Cecil.  They 
advised  me  to  hunt  up  some  worthy  couple  unbur- 
dened with  children  of  their  own  and  force  the 
child  upon  them,  to  rear  in  simple,  sensible  ways,  I 
to  pay  such  a  sum  as  would  provide  for  the  child's 
actual  necessities.  No  more.  I  listened  and  the 
notion  falling  in  somewhat  with  my  own  conviction 
—  you  behold  the  result. 

"  Dorothy  is  what  she  is ;  to  me  the  loveliest  little 
maid  in  God's  good  world.  Save  what  nature  im- 
planted in  her,  all  that  makes  her  adorable  to  me 
and  others  is  due  to  her  foster-parents,  the  most  un- 
selfish and  self-devoted  pair  of  mortals  it  has  ever 
been  my  lot  to  know  in  my  long  life.  She  belongs 
to  them  more  than  to  me ;  but  it  shall  be  as  she  and 


WHEN  JOURNEYS  END  IN  WELCOME      257 

they  elect.     Even  yet  I  will  try  to  say  it  justly. 

"My  homes  are  many  and  ample.  There  is 
room  in  every  one  of  them  for  a  little  household  of 
four.  Johnnie,  Martha,  my  own  Dorothy,  shall  we 
not  make  at  last,  one  unbroken,  happy  family  ?  " 

It  was  a  long  speech  and  it  had  sorely  tried  the 
speaker.  One  by  one  her  guests  withdrew,  leaving 
only  the  "  four  "  of  whom  she  spoke  with  that  faith- 
ful friend  of  all,  the  radiant  Seth,  remaining  in  that 
firelit  room. 

Then  cried  Dorothy,  running  to  draw  her  foster- 
parents  to  her  great-aunt's  side: 

"Yes,  father,  yes  mother!  Come  and  be  —  us! 
I  have  a  name  at  last  and  it  still  must  be  yours  with 
'  Calvert '  at  the  end,  a  hyphen  between !  Say  yes, 
dear  ones,  who've  loved  me  all  my  life.  We  want 
you,  '  Godmother '  and  I,  and  don't  you  dare  — 
don't  either  of  you  dare  to  be  proud  and  independent 
now,  when  your  little  girl's  so  happy  —  so  happy!" 

Who  could  withstand  her?  Or  the  sincere  af- 
fection which  beamed  upon  them  from  Mrs.  Cecil's 
fine  old  eyes  ?  Not  "  whistling  Johnnie  "  of  the 
big  heart,  himself ;  nor  faithful  Martha,  radiant  now 
in  the  doing  away  of  "  mysteries  "  and  the  happi- 
ness of  the  girl  who  had  been  found  a  "  squalling 
baby  "  on  her  doorstep. 

So  the  night  fell  on  Dorothy  Calvert's  home- 
coming and  home-finding.  Once  more  she  stood  on 
the  threshold  of  a  new  life.  What  befell  her  in  it 
and  what  use  she  made  of  some  of  the  great  gifts 
which  had  come  to  her  cannot  be  told  here.  That 


258  DOROTHY'S  TRAVELS 

telling  must  be  left  for  other  pages  and  other  hours ; 
perhaps  the  reader  will  like  to  go  with  us  to  "  Dor- 
othy's House  party,"  until  then  let  us  bid  happy 
Dorothy  a  glad 
Good  night! 


THE  END 


A    000043770     7 


